DALLAS — The Pittston Area Patriots did just enough to win Wednesday. Dallas did just enough to help them.
Four Dallas errors led to three early unearned runs for Pittston Area, which then had to rally for a 5-3 victory in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 softball game that forced a special playoff.
Pittston Area finished 11-1 in the division and tied with Tunkhannock. The two teams will play 1 p.m. Sunday at Lake-Lehman High School for the championship. The game will have no effect on the District 2 power rankings, as only regular-season games figure into the formula.
Pittston Area did get another outstanding performance from junior pitcher Gianna Adams, who struck out 19 including the 500th of her career. Otherwise, the Patriots (14-2 overall) didn’t quite look like the defending District 2 Class 5A and PIAA Class 5A state champions.
“Struggled. Struggled getting the big hit,” Pittston Area coach Frank Parente said. “A lot of runners left on base. Struggled in the field. Definitely want to throw the film out.”
Weather was a factor as it was 50 degrees with wind gusts reported up to 25 mph. Some players wore jackets and even one donned a stocking hat for a bit. Flyballs were an adventure at times.
Pittston Area scored its first run when Kallie Booth opened the game by reaching on a three-base error. Bella Giardina then singled up the middle to make it 1-0. An error on a flyball by Adams sent Giardina to third, where she scored on a groundout.
Adams reached on a two-base error in the third inning and moved to third on another error. Julia Mihal singled her home for a 3-0 advantage.
Dallas tied the score in the bottom of the third. Audry Atherholt opened the inning by reaching on an infield single. She moved to second two outs later when Jordan Porasky singled to left. Victoria Spaciano walked to load the bases and Carolyn Comitz followed by lifting a double down the right-field line.
The ball took an odd bounce away from Pittston Area right fielder Lilli Hintze, who was in position to hold Comitz to a single, allowing three runs to score.
Pittston Area took the lead for good in the fourth on an RBI double by Giardina, who an inning earlier was likely robbed of a home run by the wind. The Patriots added an insurance run in the sixth on an RBI single by Sam Herbert.
Dallas finished 5-7 in the division and fell to 8-9. The Mountaineers have a game Friday with Berwick before heading to the D2-4A playoffs.
“We gave them three unearned runs to start the game,” Dallas coach Joyce Tinner said. “It hurts, but we’ve been playing really good ball lately. We’ve been showing up the last five, six games. That’s all we have to do. We can compete and we have a chance, but we have to be error free. We keep killing ourselves with errors.”
Holy Redeemer 24, Hanover Area 3
Lauren Whitman, Abby Williams, Anne Carter and Lauren Hayden all have three RBI as Holy Redeemer won in three innings.
Whitman, Williams and Kaylee Gryboski had doubles as the Royals finished with 14 hits.
Maggie Murphy had a double and RBI for Hanover Area. Caitlyn Vigorito singled and had an RBI. Lydia Chafin was 2-for-2 with an RBI.
BASEBALL
Wyoming Valley West 7, Mifflinburg 4
The Spartans finished the regular season at 10-10 after a 1-4 start with a victory over visiting Mifflinburg.
Max Lupohovsky picked up the win, pitching three innings of relief after four solid inning from sophomore Trevor Klem.
Mason Sgarlat went 3-for-4 to finish the regular season hitting .500. Noah Gorham had two RBI.
Mifflinburg’s Troy Dressler, a Wake Forest recruit, was 3-for-3 with two doubles.
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Hazleton Area 3, Wyoming Valley West 0
The Cougars advanced to the District 2 Class 3A semifinals with a 25-7, 25-15, 25-23 victory over Wyoming Valley West.
Leading Hazleton Area were Jose Oquendo (24 assists, 1 kill, 6 digs, 14 service points, 3 aces) and Guillermo Gutierrez (9 kills, 1 assists, 8 digs, 5 service points, 1 ace).
Brayden Warman (2 kills, 7 digs, 7 service points) and Donnell Greene (11 digs, 6 service points) paced Valley West.
The semifinals are now set for May 24 at Delaware Valley. Abington Heights and Wilkes-Barre Area will play at 5:30 p.m. Delaware Valley and Hazleton Area will play 30 minutes after the other semifinal.
BOYS LACROSSE
Scranton Prep 14, Abington Heights 5
Will McGrath scored five goals and Liam Barrett added four as the Cavaliers defeated Abington Heights in the District 2 Class 2A quarterfinals.
Brady Holmes had two goals while Grady Toolan, Finn Kane and Quinn Lynett had one each for Scranton Prep, which will play at 5:30 p.m. Friday at Crestwood in the semifinals.
Gavin Anders had three goals and Evan Davis had two for Abington Heights.
COLLEGES
TRACK AND FIELD
Misericordia in fourth
Misericordia placed in fourth after the first day of the All Atlantic Region Track & Field Conference Championships.
The Cougars have 19 points to sit near the top of the 34 schools that scored on opening day.
Sarah DeVries was third in the 5,000 and Grace Gallagher was sixth in the 10,000.
Alexandra Snyder finished fourth in the javelin while Valerie Badger was sixth. Brenna Karnish finished seventh in the discus.
Stephen Rowley led the men’s team with a fourth-place finish in the 10,000.
SOFTBALL
Pittston Area 5, Dallas 3
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Booth cf`5`2`0`0
Giardina 2b`4`2`2`2
Adams p`4`1`0`0
Callahan c`3`0`0`1
Herbert ss`3`0`1`1
J.Mihal dp`3`0`1`1
Antal lf`4`0`1`0
Gorzkowski 1b`3`0`1`0
Mihalka 3b`4`0`1`0
L.Hintze rf`0`0`0`0
Totals`32`5`7`5
Dallas`AB`R`H`BI
Porasky 3b-p`3`1`2`0
Spaciano ss`2`1`0`0
Comitz 1b`3`0`1`3
Cruz p-3b`3`0`0`0
Fostock 2b`3`0`0`0
Maier cf`3`0`0`0
Atherholt rf`3`1`1`0
Smacchi lf`2`0`0`0
Smith ph`1`0`0`0
Riley c`3`0`0`0
Totals`26`3`4`3
Pittston Area`201`101`0 — 5
Dallas`003`000`0 — 3
2B —- Giardina, Gorzkowski, Comitz.
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Adams (W)`7`4`1`1`1`19
Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Cruz`5`5`3`0`1`0
Porasky (L)`2`2`2`2`4`0
Holy Redeemer 24, Hanover Area 3 (3 inn.)
Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Santuk`5`3`2`1
Boylan`5`2`0`0
Whitman`2`3`1`3
Williams`2`3`1`3
Stetz-Madden`1`1`1`1
Paulukonis`3`2`1`1
Lombardi`1`0`0`0
Parker`3`3`2`1
Carter`3`3`2`3
Gryboski`2`2`2`2
Hayden`3`2`2`3
Pecuch`0`0`0`0
Totals`30`24`14`18
Hanover Area`AB`R`H`BI
Shreve`0`1`0`0
Benattia`2`0`0`0
Chafin`2`1`2`1
Elick`1`1`1`0
Murphy`2`0`1`1
Vigorito`2`0`1`1
Slusser`1`0`0`0
Kratz`1`0`1`0
Zykowski`1`0`0`0
Totals`12`3`6`3
Holy Redeemer`4(10)(10) – 24
Hanover Area`300 – 3
2B – Whitman, Gryboski, Williams, Murphy.
Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Pecuch (W)`3`6`3`3`3`0
Hanover Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Vigorito (L)`3`14`24`6`8`2
BASEBALL
Wyoming Valley West 7, Mifflinburg 4
Mifflinburg`AB`R`H`BI
Diehl rf`4`0`0`0
Hufragile p`4`1`0`0
Miller lf`0`0`0`0
Dressler dh`3`0`3`2
Whitaker c`4`0`1`1
Wertman ss`3`0`1`0
Rokavel 1b`4`0`0`0
Kersletter 2b`2`1`1`0
Hackenburg 3b`3`0`0`0
Zimmerman cf`2`2`2`0
Totals`29`4`8`3
WVW`AB`R`H`BI
Rivers 2b`3`1`1`0
Sgarlat 1b`4`1`3`1
Lopohovsky ss`4`0`0`0
Klosko 3b`3`2`2`0
Klem p`0`0`0`0
Escalante dh`4`1`2`0
Gorham lf`3`1`1`2
Dubakas cf`2`0`1`1
Ruddy rf`0`0`0`1
Hoposoder c`2`1`0`1
Totals`25`7`10`6
Mifflinburg`110`010`1 – 4
Wyo. Valley West`003`040`x – 7
2B – Klem, Dressler 2.
Mifflinburg`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Hufragile`1`0`0`0`0`3
Wertman`1`2`0`0`0`0
Spencer (L)`1`5`3`3`0`3
Rokavic`1`1`0`0`0`3
Kurtz`2`2`4`4`0`5
WVW`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Klem`4`4`2`0`0`2
Lupohovsky (W)`3`4`2`2`3`2
