DALLAS TWP. — Just when Tunkhannock felt it was getting something going, Dallas changed the entire direction of Wednesday’s District 2 Class 4A baseball quarterfinal game.
Dallas answered Tunkhannock’s lone run in the top of the fourth with four in the bottom of the inning. Then five more runs in the fifth allowed the Mountaineers to post an 11-1 victory in a game ended by the 10-run rule.
Dallas improved to 13-7 during a miserable afternoon for baseball. Beside some early sprinkles, temperatures were in the low 60s and a relentless wind made it feel much colder. Perhaps the weather will improve Friday when the Mountaineers host Scranton Prep (11-9) in the semifinals at 4 p.m. Prep defeated Hanover Area 8-7 in 12 innings.
Tunkhannock (7-14) moved within 2-1 in the top of the fourth on an RBI single by Colin Gregory with two outs that scored Andy Roxby. Roxby had singled with two outs and moved to second on a walk.
That was the extent of the Tigers’ offense. They finished with two hits and struck out seven times against Dallas starter Sam Barrouk. Barrouk pitched a complete game, keeping all other arms available for Friday.
“The goal was to have Sammy go the full distance today,” Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. “He did his part. he pitched a whale of a game. When he’s on, he’s tough. We’re very proud of him, and our bats came alive today.”
Dallas had its bats going early in the bottom of the fourth. Shane Healey and Dominic Zangardi started the inning with singles. An out later, Gavin Adamski, Zach Paczewski and Joe Peters hit consecutive singles. Adamski and Peters knocked in two runs each with their hits.
“(Tunkhannock starter Aiden Paduck) is one of the better pitchers in the league,” Viglone said. “He’s tough. We had a good approach at the plate and got to him.”
Just like that, Dallas turned a 2-1 lead into 6-1. The Mountaineers, though, weren’t done scoring.
Healey and Mike Timinski got the five-run fifth going with singles. Then consecutive walks by Adamski, Paczewski, Peters and Dylan Geskey along with some wild pitches put Dallas on the cusp of stopping the game. Jude Nocito did so with an RBI single to left, sending the Mountaineers to the D2-4A semifinals for a sixth straight season.
District 2 Class 4A Quarterfinals
Dallas 11, Tunkhannock 1 (5 inn.)
Tunkhannock`AB`R`H`BI
Brown ss-p`3`0`0`0
Munley c`2`0`0`0
Paduck p-cf`1`0`0`0
Roxby 3b-p`2`1`1`0
Welles 1b`1`0`0`0
Gregory cf-3b`2`0`1`1
Kozlansky dh`2`0`0`0
Learn lf`0`0`0`0
Volker rf`2`0`0`0
DeMarco 2b`2`0`0`0
Totals`17`1`2`1
Dallas`AB`R`H`BI
Adamski c`3`3`2`2
Paczewski ss`3`2`1`1
Peters rf`3`2`3`3
Geskey 3b`2`0`1`0
Nocito 2b`4`0`1`1
Rischawy lf`2`0`0`0
S.Healey 1b`3`1`2`0
Dale pr`0`1`0`0
Zangardi dh`3`1`1`0
Barrouk p`0`0`0`0
Timinski cf`2`1`1`0
Totals`25`11`12`7
Tunkhannock`000`10 — 1
Dallas`101`45 — 11
Tunkhannock`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Paduck (L)`4.0`10`7`6`2`5
Roxby`0.1`1`4`4`3`0
Brown`0.0`1`0`0`1`0
Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Barrouk (W)`5`2`1`1`0`7
