MOSCOW — Back Mountain National starter Kyle Chesman and reliever Nick Pisaneschi combined on a perfect game Saturday afternoon.
Granted, it was only four innings, but the BMN offense was the reason for the abbreviated 13-0 victory over Throop in a Section 5 Little League Major Baseball opening-round game at North Pocono Little League.
BMN pounded out 10 hits — including three home runs — and used a seven-run fourth inning to end the game early.
The offense was so potent that the perfect game was a bit obscured, if that’s possible.
“Our pitchers threw strikes and that was the key,” BMN manager Eric Williams said. “As I mentioned the other time, I have a ton of pitchers and trying to get everyone on the field and playing time is difficult when our guys are throwing so well.
“I think it was a combined 43 pitches in four innings. There’s not much more you can ask for from the pitching staff.”
Chesman struck out four of the six batters he faced. The first two Throop batters were retired via lineout and flyout. Pisaneschi’s only strikeout ended the game. The other outs came from two grounders, two flyballs and a pop to second.
District 31 champion BMN will play D16 champion Greater Pittston Area at 3 p.m. Sunday at North Pocono Little League in the winners bracket final. D32 champ Throop plays D17 champ North Pocono in an elimination game at 1 p.m.
BMN scored the only run it would need in the first on a solo homer to right by Dom Zangardi. Four more runs came across in the second with doubles by Jack Leandri and Sam Finarelli highlighting the inning.
Dylan Geskey led off the third with a home run to dead center, making it 6-0.
Although in control, BMN tore things open by sending 10 batters to the plate in the fourth, with seven of them scoring. Brady Zapoticky had a three-run homer to right and Kaden Coyne’s bases-loaded double to right-center scored three more.
Zangardi, Finarelli and Pisaneschi also had hits in the fourth.
Section 5 Major Baseball
Back Mountain National 13, Throop 0 (4 inn.)
Back Mtn. Nat.`AB`R`H`BI
Coyne cf`3`1`1`3
Zangardi 1b`4`2`2`1
Finarelli ss`4`0`2`1
Brunn lf`1`0`0`0
Sholtis lf`2`1`0`0
Geskey 3b`3`2`1`1
Zapoticky rf`2`2`2`3
Steinruck ph`1`0`0`0
Chesman p`0`1`0`0
Casey ph`0`1`0`0
Williams c`1`1`0`1
Dale ph`1`0`0`0
Leandri 2b`1`1`1`0
Pisaneschi p`2`1`1`0
Totals`25`13`10`10
Throop`AB`R`H`BI
Behrens 1b`2`0`0`0
Giumento 2b`2`0`0`0
Pua c`2`0`0`0
Hernandez p`1`0`0`0
Mills ss`1`0`0`0
C.Deininger cf`1`0`0`0
O’Malley rf`1`0`0`0
Musewicz lf`1`0`0`0
Lesher 3b`1`0`0`0
M.Deininger p`0`0`0`0
Totals`12`0`0`0
Back Mtn. National`141`7 — 13
Throop`000`0 — 0
E — Throop 5. LOB — Throop 0, BMN 5. 2B — Finarelli. HR — Zangardi, Geskey, Zapoticky. SB — Chesman. SAC — Chesman.
Back Mtn. Nat.`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Chesman (W)`2.0`0`0`0`0`4
Pisaneschi`2.0`0`0`0`0`1
Throop`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Hernandez (L)`1.0`2`2`1`0`2
Mills`1.2`3`4`2`1`2
Behrens`0.1`2`3`2`0`0
Pua`0.1`2`4`4`2`0
M.Deininger`0.2`1`0`0`0`0
