The Greater Pittston Youth American Legion baseball team earned a weekend off before beginning a lengthy practice-only portion of its schedule in preparation for regional play after winning the Wyoming Valley League title.
Greater Pittston will not play until the July 22-26 tournament in Berwick, one of two regionals in the state on the Youth Legion level.
Four team members – Ryan Petrucci, Chase Yochem, Gino Marriggi and Cole Coolbaugh – are spending the weekend playing in an MVP Travel Tournament.
“They’re gong to go play in a tournament this weekend and we’re going to start practicing again next week,” Greater Pittston Youth manager Lou Falzone said.
Greater Pittston earned a bye into regionals with a regular-season title that was largely the result of a big comeback in a late-season, first-place showdown.
By rallying in the seventh inning to defeat Stripes & Strikes, 6-5, June 30, Greater Pittston did more than just prevent the Hazleton-based team from forcing a tie for the league lead. It opened a two-game lead and earned the tie-breaker advantage by completing a season sweep of the closest competition.
Greater Pittston then swept Tunkhannock in a doubleheader the next day to clinch first place.
An 11-4 loss to Back Mountain Monday was followed by a season-ending 7-5 victory over Mountain Post Thursday.
Greater Pittston finished 14-2 in the league, including 8-0 at home.
It was the road win over Stripes & Strikes, however, that was the biggest of the season and what Falzone described as “the best game I’ve ever coached and been a part of.”
Gavin Lahart, who went 3-for-4, and Frank Braccini, who had a double and single, each drove in two runs. Yochem was 2-for-3 with a run scored.
Stripes & Strikes led, 4-1, after five innings, but Greater Pittston rallied with a run in the sixth and four more in the top of the seventh.
Petrucci and Derek Cunius started the seventh with singles.
John Angelella bunted to move the tying runs into scoring position. Lahart’s single drove in both runners to tie the game.
Cole Cherkas sent a shot to the right-center field gap to score Lahart for a 5-4 lead.
Braccini’s single to left-center scored Cherkas with what proved to be an important run.
Coolbaugh held on through the bottom of the seventh to finish off the complete game.
“Since that gave us the head-to-head advantage, it was a huge win,” Falzone said. “After that, it meant we only had to win two more of our last four games.”
Greater Pittston took care of that the next day with the 11-3, 8-2 sweep over Tunkhannock.
Yochem, who scored twice, and Coolbaugh, who drove in a run, each had two hits in the opener. Petrucci and Danny Weidl each had a hit and drove in two runs.
Marriggi worked five innings for the win.
Winning pitcher Caleb Graham went 3-for-3 with an RBI in the title-clinching win. Petrucci was 2-for-3 with two RBI while Weidl had two hits and one RBI.
Frankie Nockley was 3-for-3 with a triple, three runs and two RBI to lead Back Mountain past Greater Pittston.
“After clinching, we just came out flat and didn’t play well,” Falzone said.
Graham had two hits and an RBI in the loss.
Toby Hallman had a no-hitter with nine strikeouts after six innings of the season finale when Falzone pulled him because his pitch count had reached 110.
The Senior Legion level has a 100-pitch limit which makes it mandatory for pitchers to leave the game after that reaching that level. Youth Legion has not yet invoked the same rule, but for the second time this season, Falzone pulled Hallman during a no-hitter after he surpassed 100 pitches.
“I took him out because of the pitch count,” Falzone said. “I didn’t want to get him hurt.
“He’s our ace. He’s going to be pitching our first game of regionals.”
With Hallman out, Mountain Post cut the 7-0 lead to two runs before Greater Pittston held on for the win.
Cunius led the offense with a hit and three RBI. Cherkas had a double. Braccini went 1-for-1 with two walks.
While the second- through fifth-place teams in the Wyoming Valley conduct a playoff to determine which team qualifies for the regional in Pottstown, Greater Pittston will tune up its game while awaiting the regional in Berwick.
“We have a good team with good chemistry,” Falzone said. “We’re doing very well.”