Plains wraps up District 16 pool play with win

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PITTSTON — In their final showing before Wednesday’s District 16 Major Baseball semifinals, the Plains all-stars were able to wrap up pool play with another emphatic showing from their offense on Monday.

Plains scored five runs before the first out of the game was recorded, rolling past Greater Pittston Area 8-2 on Monday to finish pool play with a 4-1 record.

They’ll be the second seed on Wednesday, and host Township with a shot at the district title game on the line.

“Putting the bat on the ball, kids doing whatever it takes to get on base…that’s something we’ve stressed for the past three and a half weeks we’ve been together,” said Plains manager Don Stark. “We’re starting to click, they’re making it happen.”

Will McKeown led off the game by drawing a walk off of GPA starter John Walsh, and Plains was off to the races from there.

Donny Stark doubled to drive in McKeown, and both he and Braedon Hollingshead came around to score after a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt from Brayden Tarnalicki. Omar Vincente-Sanchez doubled to drive in Tarnalicki, and would score himself on a wild pitch.

Five plate appearances, five runners safely aboard and all five came around to score, leaving GPA in a pretty big hole that would prove impossible to climb out of.

Levi Pisano came on in relief for Greater Pittston, and managed to keep the deficit at 5-0 after the first inning. He ended up throwing four sharp innings, allowing just three runs, but the damage had already been done.

“He [Pisano] was super impressive…I knew he could handle a situation like that,” said GPA manager Pat Roman. “We didn’t mean to put him in it, but we knew he could battle through that.”

For Plains, the duo of Tarnalicki and Hollingshead allowed just five hits and two runs over 5.2 innings of work, with Landon Havard coming on to get the final out of the game, a screaming liner to right field snared by Jacob Antolik.

Donny Stark had two doubles, two RBI and two runs scored to lead Plains. Alex Dutter had an RBI single from the 12th spot in the order to bring home a run in the fifth inning.

Both of GPA’s runs came from the team’s biggest bright spot of the evening, cleanup hitter Chris Tibel.

Tibel got way ahead in the count in his first at-bat, and launched a rocket out over the right-field fence for GPA’s first hit and first run of the game.

In his second at-bat, the ball had a bit more arc off the bat but the result was the same: a solo homerun, Tibel driving in his team’s second and final run.

GPA had some more chances, stranding two runners in the third and three in the fifth, but couldn’t cut any more into the Plains lead. They’ll lock up the fourth and final spot in Wednesday’s semifinals, and will head to top-seeded Mountain Top.

Mountain Top 14, Hanover 2 (5 inn.)

David Buchanan homered and had two hits and three RBI as Mountain Top finished pool play with a perfect 5-0 record after beating Hanover.

Ryder Zurawski had three hits including a double, while Connor Paulson, Kelten Rivera and Bryce Williams had two hits each for Mountain Top. Luke Stahlnecker also doubled and drove in two runs.

Braxston Nealon had a hit and drove in a run for Hanover.

Mountain Top will host Greater Pittston Area in the District 16 semifinals on Wednesday.

Township 13, Nanticoke 0 (4 inn.)

Township secured the third seed in Wednesday’s semifinals with a run-rule victory over Nanticoke on Monday night.

Drew Whitling, Parker McAndrew and Chase Dudek each had two hits for Township, while Mason Slusser drove in three runs. Whitling also threw 2.2 innings for Township, striking out five.

Ian Verizon and Cole Decker both had a hit for Nanticoke, whose All-Star campaign came to an end with the loss on Monday.

Township will head to Plains on Wednesday night in the District 16 semis.

District 16 Major Baseball

Plains 8, Greater Pittston Area 2

GPA`AB`R`H`BI

Pisano cf-p`3`0`0`0

Roman ss`3`0`0`0

Maynor 3b-p`2`0`0`0

Tibel rf-cf`2`2`2`2

R. Oliveri 1b`2`0`0`0

Warnek c`2`0`0`0

Krashnak eh`2`0`1`0

Welkey lf`2`0`1`0

Borino 2b`2`0`0`0

A. Oliveri eh`2`0`1`0

Walsh p-eh`2`0`0`0

Larkin eh-rf`1`0`0`0

Totals`25`2`5`2

Plains`AB`R`H`BI

McKeown 2b`2`2`1`0

Stark ss`2`2`2`2

Hollingshead 1b-p`2`1`1`0

Tarnalicki p`3`1`0`0

Vincente-Sanchez cf`3`1`1`1

Havard c`2`0`0`0

Tommaselli lf`1`0`1`0

As. Dutter 3b`1`1`0`0

Antolik rf`2`0`0`0

Miller eh`2`0`1`0

Paulino eh`2`0`0`0

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

Totals`24`8`8`4

GPA`010`100 — 2

Plains`502`10x — 8

2B — Stark 2, Hollingshead, Vincente-Sanchez, Krashnak. HR — Tibel 2.

GPA`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Walsh (L)`0.1`2`5`4`2`0

Pisano`4`3`3`2`0`3

Maynor`0.2`0`0`0`0`1

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

Tarnalicki (W)`3`2`1`1`1`1

Hollingshead`2.2`3`1`1`0`1

Havard`0.1`0`0`0`0`0