Softball Roundup: State’s top 5A pitcher shuts down AH in subregional final

EDWARDSVILLE — With Gianna Adams in her usual excellent form on the mound, Pittston Area just needed the bats to get going a bit in the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional championship game May 28.

After four scoreless innings, Lili Hintze answered the call.

Hintze’s two-out double to the left-field fence broke a scoreless tie and helped bring the district championship back to Pittston Area as the Lady Patriots beat Abington Heights 3-0 at Wilkes University.

The sophomore center fielder stepped to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the fifth and a runner on first. Up to this point, the Patriots had just one hit and none since the first inning.

Hintze made it two hits for the Patriots in loud fashion, scorching a ball over the outfield, sending it rolling to the left-field fence.

“It was a low pitch in a good spot,” Hintze said. “I was just looking to swing the bat hard and make contact, and that’s what I did.”

Julia Long was running all the way and scored from first to give Pittston Area that crucial first run in a game where it felt like one run might be enough to get the job done.

Pittston Area added one more run in the fifth and another in the sixth, finally able to break through against Abington Heights ace Lauren Stalica after the first four-plus innings featured nothing but zeroes from Stalica and Adams.

A year after Abington Heights knocked Adams and the Patriots out in the district title game, Adams wouldn’t be denied a second time.

The senior, a two-time state Class 5A Pitcher of the Year, allowed just one hit over seven innings, striking out 15 Comets to earn the win.

“Last year, it was heartbreaking when we lost,” Adams said. “It feels so great to be back on this field, and to bring home the gold this time.”

Adams was also able to help her own cause at the plate, coming up in the leadoff spot right after Hintze’s RBI double gave the Patriots a 1-0 lead. Adams hit a grounder to second that Abington Heights second baseman Lindsey Tasker snared on a dive, but the Comets couldn’t get Adams at first. Meanwhile, Hintze never stopped running after contact, coming around from second base to make it a 2-0 Pittston Area lead.

Stalica had the only Abington Heights hit. She struck out eight and walked just one while throwing a five-hitter.

SUGREGIONAL RECAP

Abington Heights, which finished 17-6, earned a shot at the 2022 state champions and Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 champs by shutting out Crestwood 3-0 and winning at second-seeded Wallenpaupack 7-5 in the quarterfinals and semifinals May 20 and 22.

Stalica struck out nine and did not walk a batter in a three-hit shutout against Crestwood.

All the scoring took place in the bottom of the second with the last two batters in the order driving in the runs.

Adriann Conrad’s sacrifice fly was followed by a two-run single from Hunter Kresge.

Cecelia O’Malley went 3-for-4 with two runs and two RBI to lead the win over Wallenpaupack.

O’Malley and Isabelle Wilmot had two-run singles in the five-run second inning that put the Comets on top 5-1.

DISTRICT RECAP

Lackawanna Trail and Scranton Prep were each knocked out in the quarterfinals of the District 2 playoffs.

Blue Ridge defeated Lackawanna Trail 5-1 in Class 2A May 20.

North Pocono downed Scranton Prep 7-5 in Class 4A May 21.

LEAGUE RECAP

Abington Heights went 10-4 to finish third out of eight teams in Division 1 of the Lackawanna League. Scranton Prep was 4-10 and in sixth place.

Lackawanna Trail was 9-5 to place in a three-way tie for second in Lackawanna Division 3. The Lady Lions were tied with Blue Ridge and Montrose in the eight-team division, which was won by Elk Lake with an unbeaten record.