Little League: Pittston Area softball bows out at state tournament

Twin sisters Jayelyn and Jocelyn Luft led the way Monday as West Point avenged an earlier loss and ended Pittston Area’s season in the elimination bracket final of the Pennsylvania Major Little League Softball Tournament with a 12-1, four-inning romp at Wellsboro.

Pittston Area was perfect through District 16 and Section 5 play, then the first two rounds of the state tournament. It then lost two straight games to finish third in the state.

Indiana/Clymer and West Point, the two teams that beat Pittston Area, will meet for the title with West Point needing two straight wins to finish on top.

Pittston Area had defeated West Point 7-5 in eight innings during Friday’s winners’ bracket semifinal.

The rematch was decided in half the time.

West Point scored four runs in the first, five in the second and three in the third.

Pittston Area scored once in the fourth, but needed two more runs to avoid the 10-run rule and extend the game.

Jaelyn Luft struck out seven and walked just one while throwing a no-hitter.

Liv Distasio led off the bottom of the fourth by drawing a walk on four pitches.

After two straight Luft strikeouts, Lydia Luvender hit a hard groundball to the West Point third baseman, whose throw to first base could not be handled. Distasio, who had moved to second base on a passed ball, scored on the play and Luvender advanced to second base.

Jaelyn Luft also went 3-for-3 and scored twice.

Jocelyn Luft drove in four runs in the fast start and scored twice. She had a two-run triple to the left-field fence in the first and a two-run single to center field in the second.

Ainsley Lear took over in the circle for Pittston Area with none out in the third inning. She allowed just one run on two hits in two official innings pitched.