Scranton Prep Baseball: Cavaliers reach state Class 4A tournament

Scranton Prep fell short of a district championship, then recovered to play its way in into the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 4A baseball tournament.

Class 4A was the only one in which District 2 had two spots in state tournament play.

Danville 5, Scranton Prep 1

Garrett Hoffman threw a five-hitter and did not walk a batter to lead Dallas past Scranton Prep June 3 in the opening round of the state tournament.

Roman Valvano, who hit a solo homer in the sixth inning to account for the only run, and Zander Condeelis each had two hits for the Cavaliers.

Scranton Prep 11, Meadville 3

Scranton Prep scored nine runs over the final three innings to defeat Meadville in a play-in game between district runner-up to determine the last spot in the state tournament.

The Cavaliers trailed 3-2 from the bottom of the second until the top of the fifth.

Condeelis had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored.

Paul Rusincovitch went the distance for Scranton Prep for the win.

The Cavaliers had 13 hits, including two each by Blake Decker, Matt Kalinowski and Michael DeRichie. DeRichie scored three times.

Dallas 1, Scranton Prep 0

MOOSIC – Ninth-hitter Jack Leandri followed up an intentional walk with a game-winning single with two out in the bottom of the seventh as Dallas broke a scoreless tie and pulled out a repeat district championship.

Dallas, a state finalist a year ago, got a combined four-hitter from Sam Barrouk and Aaron Patton.

Johnny Petroski struck out seven and walked two in a six-hitter.

Michael DeRichie doubled for the only Scranton Prep extra-base hit.

Dallas had half of its three hits in the final inning of the game, the first of six championships at PNC Field.

DISTRICT RECAP

Scranton Prep (13-10) reached the final by defeating Western Wayne 12-2 and Honesdale 4-3.

Petroski, who doubled twice, and Blake Decker, who had a double and single, each drove in three runs for Scranton Prep.

Scranton Prep scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and Petroski threw a six-hitter against Honesdale.

Petroski struck out seven and walked two in the semifinal win.

SEASON RECAP

Scranton Prep finished 8-6 to place in a three-way tie with Wallenpaupack and West Scranton behind first-place Abington Heights in Lackawanna League Division 1.

Petroski and Kalinowski led the team’s offense on the season, hitting .406 and .405.