On This Date: WVC had a split decision at state championships in 2015

While one team rejoiced, another a short drive away suffered heartbreak in 2015.

Holy Redeemer rallied with a five-run fourth inning to defeat Deer Lakes 10-5 for the PIAA Class 2A state softball championship at Penn State. The agony was felt just down the road where Wyoming Valley West gave up a run in the top of the eighth in a 4-3 loss to North Penn in the PIAA Class 4A state baseball title game.

Redeemer’s victory started shaky as two flyballs were dropped early, allowing Deer Lakes to take a 5-2 lead going into the bottom of the second.

“I honestly contribute that to jitters,” Redeemer coach Jerry Paulukonis said. “They were nervous, I’ll tell you right out. But once you settle into a game and realized it’s a softball game, they started playing their ball. Sharp defense, hitting the ball hard, playing the small ball when we needed to.”

Redeemer recovered in the fourth, scoring five times for a 9-5 advantage. Olivia Mennig had an RBI double while Randi Kuhar and Sam Rajza had RBI singles. Reliever Morgan Bienkowski kept Deer Lakes scoreless over the last five innings for the school’s first state softball title.

While Redeemer joined Nanticoke (2003, 2010) as the only WVC programs to win state softball titles, the Valley West baseball team was trying to do the same later in the day. At that time, only Berwick in 2008 had brought home a state baseball crown to the WVC.

Valley West rallied in the fourth inning — and after an 80-minute rain delay — to tie the score 2-2 when a pickoff throw to first ended up in foul territory down the right field line, scoring pinch runner Brendin Techmanski and Justin Montalvo.

The Spartans trailed 3-2 in the seventh but forced an eighth inning on an RBI infield single by Justin Vought. North Penn won it on a throwing error in the eighth.

“I said the only thing that could probably beat us was ourselves,” Valley West coach John Milius said. “And that’s exactly what happened. We were out of the inning — just one mistake.”

1955

Eastern League president Thomas H. Richardson said he doesn’t want to move the Wilkes-Barre franchise to another city. He met with the Board of Control and Wilkes-Barre general manager Chuck Lucas prior to a doubleheader at Artillery Park.

“The enthusiasm these people have shown me here this afternoon is proof in itself that Wilkes-Barre does not want to be without baseball,” Richardson said.

Richardson also praised the efforts of former general manager Harry Rudolph for bringing baseball back to Wilkes-Barre in 1953.

Wilkes-Barre, though, did move midseason in 1955 to Johnstown. The franchise was a Class A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians from 1938-51 and moved to Reading in 1952. It returned in 1953, but wasn’t affiliated with a Major League team. The Barons were a minor league team of the Detroit Tigers in 1954 and were associated with the New York Giants in 1955.

1956

Bob Klop struck out 14 and threw a one-hitter as Plains defeated Pittston 4-0 to become the first repeat champion in the Wyoming Valley high school baseball tournament.

Over 2,000 fans attended the game at Artillery Park.

1957

Eddie Winterstein threw a one-hitter as Northwest won the high school baseball regional title with a 7-0 victory over St. Vincent’s. Winterstein struck out six and lowered his ERA to 0.33.

Tom Hodle had St. Vincent’s only hit, a liner over the head of Northwest first baseman Dennie Kobosko, who was able to get his glove on the ball.

Kobosko had a two-run single in a five-run fourth inning.

1974

Little League Baseball announced girls can play on its teams because of “the changing social climate.”

Little League previously was against girls playing baseball, citing “legality and the safety and psychological needs of children.” The rule was challenged several times in court.

Little League added that opening baseball for girls wouldn’t guarantee placement on a team. It would also retain a separate division for girls.

2017

It was a proud day for the Wyoming Valley Conference as four teams vying for berths in PIAA state championship games won.

The Dallas and Holy Redeemer baseball teams and the Hazleton Area and Tunkhannock softball teams all clinched trips to Penn State. All would be playing for state championships for the first time.

Dallas rallied with four runs in the sixth inning to defeat East Pennsboro in a Class 4A semifinal. JD Barrett’s lined single to right with the bases loaded was the big blow. The hit knocked in two runs and a third scored on an error, making it 6-4. Mike Luksic scored Barrett on a sacrifice fly for the final run.

Redeemer’s Tucker Ell broke a scoreless tie with an RBI single with two outs in the top of the seventh as the Royals defeated Loyalsock Township 4-0 in a Class 3A semifinal game. The Royals took advantage of Loyalsock errors to plate the other runs.

Redeemer pitcher Tony Molitoris was clutch with runners in scoring position as Loyalsock was 0-for-10 in those opportunities. He finished with a four-hitter and struck out six.

Tunkhannock earned its first trip to a softball championship game by defeating Bangor 9-4 in a Class 4A semifinal game at Wilkes University. The Tigers blew open the game with six runs in the fourth inning, getting four hits and taking advantage of two errors.

Paige Mokychic had an RBI double and Sarah Traver had an RBI single in the fourth. Bangor’s fifth error of the game on Erin Dunn’s routine grounder plated the final two runs of the inning.

Hazleton Area made it a clean sweep for the WVC, defeating Spring-Ford 8-5 in a Class 6A semifinal. Tiana Treon’s two-run single in the third inning scored the fourth and fifth runs of the frame and gave Hazleton Area the lead for good, 5-4. Pitcher Erika Book wasn’t overpowering, but did keep Spring-Ford to one run over the final five innings. She recorded just one strikeout, but the defense – led by shortstop Marissa Trivelpiece – was flawless.