H.S. Baseball: Dallas cruises past ELCO in Class 4A state opener

DALLAS TWP. — Dallas won a third consecutive game in walk-off fashion on Monday.

This victory, though, was unlike the other two.

Sophomore Dom Zangardi blasted a three-run homer in the bottom of the sixth to end the game via the 10-run rule as the Mountaineers rolled past ELCO 13-2 in a PIAA Class 4A baseball state opener.

Zangardi’s home run completed a five-run sixth for District 2 champion Dallas (20-4) and sets up a quarterfinal game Thursday against District 1 champion Holy Ghost Prep (13-8) at a neutral site. Prep defeated District 12 champion Constitution 20-0 in three innings.

“I needed it,” said Zangardi of his first first high school home run. “I’ve been struggling lately and that one just felt really good. Just to get us out of there early without Sam (Barrouk) throwing any more pitches.”

The Mountaineers made the state playoffs with one-run, walk-off wins against Wyoming Area and Scranton Prep in the district tournament. So while Monday’s win wasn’t as stressful, it was technically a walk-off win.

“A little less nerve-racking,” Dallas coach Mikee Viglone said. “Dom needed that. He’s put some good swings on in the cage. He really needed that. That was a good swing.”

District 3 runner-up ELCO (14-11) finished with more errors (five) than hits and runs combined (four). A base running blunder — where a runner was doubled off first on a weak looping liner to Dallas second baseman Jack Leandri — could benefit Dallas on Thursday.

The double play allowed pitching ace Sam Barrouk to finish with 75 pitches, meaning he’s eligible to throw Thursday if needed. If Barrouk threw one more pitch, he would have needed three calendar days of rest. However, he has just returned recently after missing a good portion of the season, so the pitch count might not matter.

“We’ll see,” Viglone said. “We’ll see who we will go with on Thursday. We have everyone else available for now.”

Dallas scored one run in the first on an error and tacked on three more in the second, with Zach Paczewski and Gavin Adamski delivering RBI singles.

ELCO cut the deficit to 4-2 in the fourth as Gavin Bicher walked and Morgan Shanahan singled to start the inning. A groundout and a bunt single by Colin Bogart helped plate the runs.

Dallas answered with four runs in the bottom of the fourth. JJ Rischawy (single), Leandri (walk), Kaden Coyne (RBI double) and Paczewski (single) all reached base to start the inning. Rischawy scored on a wild pitch. Leandri scored on Coyne’s double. Coyne scored on a groundout. Paczewski scored on a sac fly by Dylan Geskey.

Two ELCO errors led to five unearned runs in the sixth capped by Zangardi’s homer to right field. Everyone in the batting order either had a hit, scored a run or had an RBI.

PIAA Class 4A First Round

Dallas 13, ELCO 2 (6 inn.)

ELCO`AB`R`H`BI

George ss`2`0`0`0

Boyer cf`3`0`0`0

G.Bicher lf`1`1`0`0

Martin pr`0`0`0`0

Shanahan p-3b`3`0`1`0

S.Bicher cr`0`1`0`0

Auker dh`2`0`0`0

Nolt c`0`0`0`0

McDermott c`0`0`0`0

Smith 3b-p`1`0`0`1

Bogart 2b`2`0`1`1

Gettle 1b`2`0`0`0

Sprang rf`2`0`0`0

Totals`18`2`2`2

Dallas`AB`R`H`BI

Coyne cf`3`3`2`1

Paczewski ss`4`2`2`2

Adamski c`3`1`2`2

C.Rischawy cr`0`1`0`0

Geskey 1b`2`0`0`1

Healey 3b`4`1`0`0

Zangardi rf`4`1`1`3

Tinner dh`3`1`0`0

Barrouk p`0`0`0`0

J.Rischawy lf`3`1`1`0

Leandri 2b`2`2`1`0

Totals`28`13`9`9

ELCO`000`200 — 2

Dallas`130`405 — 13

E — ELCO 5. DP — ELCO 1, Dallas 1. LOB — ELCO 3, Dallas 3. 2B — Coyne. HR — Zangardi. SB — Adamski 2, Healey, Tinner, Paczewski J.Rischawy, Leandri. SAC — Auker. SF — Geskey.

ELCO`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Shanahan (L)`3.0`6`7`3`3`2

Smith`2.2`3`6`1`1`2

Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Barrouk (W)`6`2`2`2`3`2