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HANOVER TWP. — He got through the fifth inning in 11 pitches. The sixth? Only needed five.

It felt like an encore at the end of a concert when Tony Molitoris took the mound in the seventh inning of Monday’s PIAA Class 3A tournament opener.

Three pitches. Three outs. And, amazingly, just 60 total to get through all seven innings of Holy Redeemer’s 5-0 shutout of Tamaqua at Hanover Area High School.

“Sixty pitches? At this level? That’s just a great performance,” Royals coach Chris Ritsick said. “He’s not a strikeout pitcher, but the defense is behind him and it was a great job one through nine.”

Molitoris tossed a two-hitter, facing just two batters above the minimum and retiring the final 18 he faced. He struck out one and did not allow a walk.

In fact, he didn’t come close to issuing a free pass. None of the 23 batters that stepped in against him were able to work the count to three balls. Only four even got as far as two. Seven went down on the first pitch — including the final four of the game.

“They were being aggressive. They were swinging at a couple first pitches,” Molitoris said. “And the defense made the plays. Cade (Flanley) had a ton of plays over at third. (Tim Cavanaugh) had a few over at second and did well. The outfield did really well.

“A good team effort today.”

And one that made a state tournament game feel like a laid-back outing in April.

“When everything’s going your way, you’re just a lot more relaxed,” Molitoris said. “It’s just a good feeling.”

So is the program’s second trip to the PIAA quarterfinals on Thursday. But the Royals won’t know their next opponent until Wednesday evening. It will be either District 12 champ Conwell-Egan or District 3 runner-up Oley Valley, who played only the top of the first inning of their game on Monday before storms halted play.

The contest will resume at 4 p.m. Wednesday with Oley Valley leading 2-0. A site and time for Redeemer’s game against the winner will be announced afterward.

Molitoris’ efficiency means he will be eligible to throw if needed in the next round — he could have gone 15 more pitches and still only needed two days rest.

As it is, the Royals haven’t needed to go to the bullpen at all in four postseason games, as Molitoris and Jordan Choman — Thursday’s likely starter — have gone the distance each time, allowing just three runs (two earned) on nine hits for a sparkling playoff ERA of 0.54.

It helps, of course, to have a 5-0 lead after three innings.

Mykolas Bozentka continued his strong postseason by hitting a pair of RBI doubles, breaking the ice in the bottom of the second. Cavanaugh and Tom Borum each drove in a run to make it 3-0 after two. Bozentka added on in the third with a fifth run scoring on an error.

Bozentka, Cavanaugh and Molitoris all had two hits apiece as the Royals finished with 10 for the game.

Tamaqua, meanwhile, singled to lead off the second and moved the runner over on a sacrifice. From there, the Blue Raiders never had another player reach base.

The Raiders came in having won the District 11 title on Thursday — three days after Redeemer beat Lakeland for the D2 crown — and weren’t able to scout the Royals before the game.

“We really knew not a whole lot,” Tamaqua coach Jeff Reading said. “We had no way of getting to go watch anybody. … But (Molitoris) threw a great game.

“Not an overpowering fastball, but he hit spots. Was around the plate, obviously. Our guys want to come up and attack the ball. That’s been our style. But he mixes pitches well, kept them off balance. We weren’t able to square up like they were.”

For other high school baseball stories, click here.

PIAA Class 3A first round

Holy Redeemer 5, Tamaqua 0

Tamaqua`AB`R`H`BI

Boyle ss-p`3`0`0`0

Barron cf`3`0`0`0

Rother c`3`0`1`0

Kupchinsky 3b`3`0`0`0

Inama 1b`3`0`1`0

Zuber p-ss`1`0`0`0

Banditelli 2b`0`0`0`0

Minchhoff dh`2`0`0`0

Breiner rf`2`0`0`0

Bonetsky lf`2`0`0`0

Totals`22`0`2`0

Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI

Ell ss`4`0`1`0

Cavanaugh 2b`4`0`2`1

Borum c`4`0`1`1

Flanley 3b`3`0`2`0

Choman 1b`3`0`0`0

Molitoris p`3`2`2`0

McClay cf`1`0`0`0

Ambosie lf`0`0`0`0

Bozentka dh`3`2`2`2

Wills`3`1`0`0

Totals`28`5`10`4

Tamaqua`000`000`0`—`0

Redeemer`032`000`x`—`5

2B — Bozentka 2

Tamaqua`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Zuber (L)`3.0`7`5`3`1`3

Boyle`3.0`3`0`0`0`2

Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Molitoris (W)`7.0`2`0`0`0`1

Holy Redeemer second baseman Tim Cavanaugh helped lead a strong defensive performance for the Royals in Monday’s win over Tamaqua.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HR-Tamaqua-BBB-2.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer second baseman Tim Cavanaugh helped lead a strong defensive performance for the Royals in Monday’s win over Tamaqua. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Royals third baseman Cade Flanley was singled out by coaches from both sides for his impressive work at the hot corner on Monday.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HR-Tamaqua-BBB-3.jpg.optimal.jpgRoyals third baseman Cade Flanley was singled out by coaches from both sides for his impressive work at the hot corner on Monday. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Holy Redeemer senior Tony Molitoris helped his own cause at the plate, reaching base all three times up with two singles and a walk.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HR-Tamaqua-BBB-4.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer senior Tony Molitoris helped his own cause at the plate, reaching base all three times up with two singles and a walk. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Courtesy runner Nial Vender, right, celebrates with Sean Wills after scoring a run for Holy Redeemer in Monday’s PIAA opener.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HR-Tamaqua-BBB-5.jpg.optimal.jpgCourtesy runner Nial Vender, right, celebrates with Sean Wills after scoring a run for Holy Redeemer in Monday’s PIAA opener. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

Holy Redeemer starter Tony Molitoris needed just 60 pitches to get through a complete-game shutout of Tamaqua in Monday’s PIAA Class 3A opener.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_HR-Tamaqua-BBB-1.jpg.optimal.jpgHoly Redeemer starter Tony Molitoris needed just 60 pitches to get through a complete-game shutout of Tamaqua in Monday’s PIAA Class 3A opener. Tony Callaio | For Times Leader

By Derek Levarse

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Reach Derek Levarse at 570-991-6396 or on Twitter @TLdlevarse