Plains blasts three home runs in District 16 Major Baseball win

JENKINS TWP. — Looking to bounce back after an extra-innings loss to Mountain Top their last time out, the Plains all-stars went to the plate looking to hit — and hit they did.

Braedon Hollingshead launched two homers and drove in five total runs, Omar Vincente-Sanchez had a two-run blast of his own and Plains scored in all five innings they played on their way to a 13-3 win over Township in District 16 Major Baseball pool play.

Hollingshead and Vincente-Sanchez both went deep in the fifth inning to cap off a big day for the Plains bats, scoring six times in the fifth to end the game an inning early via run rule.

“After losing a tough nine-inning game the other night, the way the kids came out and hit the ball was amazing,” Plains manager Don Stark said.

Plains jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first courtesy of Hollingshead, who drilled the second pitch he saw over the wall in right-center.

They’d tack on two more runs in each of the next three innings, taking a 7-0 lead over Township before a lengthy rain delay after the fourth inning kept the teams off the field for over an hour.

When play finally resumed, Township did some scoring of their own with three runs in the top of the fifth inning to cut the Plains lead down to 7-3.

Brayden Yonki and Chase Dudek led off the inning with singles, Yonki eventually scoring on a groundout from Vinny Cocco. Colton Ziobro made his way on and scored on a wild pitch, and the final Township run of the inning was scored on a towering home run from Aiden Bryk.

It looked like momentum was heading toward Township after the rain delay, but Plains was quick to snatch it right back with a six-spot in the fifth.

After Will McKeown and Donny Stark both reached to start the inning, Hollingshead launched his second homer of the day to dead center, a three-run blast to make it 10-3.

“Even when I throw to him in batting practice, I constantly try to challenge him the best I can,” Stark said. “The way he’s hit the ball, there’s not too many kids that are better hitters.”

Vincente-Sanchez drove one over the wall two batters later, scoring himself and Landon Havard. The next three hitters loaded the bases, and a base hit from Jayce Miller made it 13-3, ending the game and giving Plains the win.

Donny Stark threw 4.1 innings to earn the win, credited with two earned runs on five hits and six strikeouts. He was scoreless before the rain delay, and didn’t issue any walks. Hollingshead got the final two outs of the fifth inning in relief.

Plains improved to 3-1 in District 16 pool play with the win, and will take on Greater Pittston Area on Monday, the final day of pool play.

Township (2-2) will play Nanticoke on Monday to wrap up pool play.

Hanover 3, Nanticoke 2

Jaden Kreitzer delivered in the final frame, pitching in the top of the sixth and winning it at the plate in the home half with an RBI double for Hanover.

Kreitzer, Cian Hummer and Stephen Harkenreader all had two hits apiece. Jackson Carlo tied the game at 2-2 with a double in the fifth inning. Braxston Nealon started on the mound and struck out five in five innings while adding a hit at the plate.

Derek Kepp had the big hit for Nanticoke, putting his team ahead with a two-run single in the fifth. Blake Kepp struck out six in five innings of work and added a single. Cole Decker doubled.

Mountain Top 6, Greater Pittston Area 3

Ryder Zurawski was the winning pitcher and doubled twice as Mountain Top defeated Greater Pittston Area.

Bryce Williams contributed two hits and David Buchanan had two RBI for the winners.

Vince Krashnak doubled for GPA.

District 16 Major Baseball

Plains 13, Township 3 (5 inn.)

Township`AB`R`H`BI

Roman p-3b`2`0`1`0

Whitling cf`2`0`1`0

McAndrew 1b`2`0`1`0

Yonki eh`2`1`1`0

Dudek 2b-p`2`0`1`0

Ziobro ss`2`1`0`0

Cocco c`2`0`0`1

Bryk eh`2`1`1`1

DeAngelo rf`2`0`0`0

Slusser 3b-p`1`0`0`0

Solovey eh`1`0`0`0

Romanski lf`1`0`0`0

Totals`21`3`6`2

Plains`AB`R`H`BI

McKeown 2b`2`2`1`0

Stark p`2`1`0`1

Hollingshead ss-p`3`2`2`5

Tarnalicki 1b`3`0`0`0

Havard c`2`1`1`0

Vincente-Sanchez cf`3`2`2`2

Tommaselli lf`1`2`0`0

As. Dutter 3b`3`2`2`1

Antolik rf`2`0`1`0

Miller eh`1`0`1`2

Paulino eh`1`0`0`1

Al. Dutter eh`2`1`1`0

Totals`25`13`11`12

Township`000`03 — 3

Plains`122`26 — 13

2B — Havard, Al. Dutter. HR — Hollingshead 2, Vincente-Sanchez, Bryk.

Township`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Roman (L)`3.2`6`7`6`3`1

Slusser`0.0`0`0`0`1`0

Dudek`0.1`0`1`1`1`0

DeAngelo`0.1`5`5`5`1`0

Plains`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Stark (W)`4.1`5`2`2`0`6

Hollingshead`0.2`1`1`1`0`1

Mountain Top 6, Greater Pittston Area 3

Greater Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI

Pisano cf`3`1`1`0

Roman ss`2`1`1`0

Maynor p`2`0`1`0

Tibel rf rf`2`0`0`1

R.Oliveri c`2`0`0`0

Warnek lf`3`0`0`0

Welkey 3b`1`1`0`0

Borino 2b`1`0`0`0

A.Oliveri eh`2`0`0`0

Krashnak eh`2`0`1`0

Walsh 1b`1`0`1`0

Larkin rf`2`0`0`0

Totals`23`3`5`1

Mountain Top`AB`R`H`BI

Rivera ss`3`0`0`0

Tetlak cf`3`1`1`0

Zurawski p`2`1`2`0

Zeneski 1b`3`0`0`0

Woss rf`2`0`0`0

Stahlnecker lf`2`1`1`0

Paulson c`1`2`1`0

Williams 2b`2`1`2`0

Buchanan 1b`2`0`0`2

Barker 3b`1`0`0`0

Graham rf`2`0`0`0

Parsons lf`2`0`0`0

Totals`25`6`7`2

2B — Krashnak, Zurawski.

Greater Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Maynor (L)`2`4`3`1`1`3

Tibel`3`3`3`1`2`2

Mountain Top`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Zurawski (W)`3.0`5`1`1`1`4

Williams`1.2`0`1`0`3`2

Woss`1.1`0`1`1`3`2