Region 5 Senior American Legion Baseball Roundup: Late rally over Swoyersville propelled Greater Pittston to title

SCRANTON – Before Greater Pittston could conquer Region 5 as a whole, it first had to get past Wyoming Valley Senior American Legion Baseball League rival Swoyersville.

Hunter Lawall led a rally that resulted in runs in each of the last three innings Monday as Greater Pittston won an all-Wyoming Valley regional semifinal from Swoyersville, 6-5, at Connell Park.

Lawall pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief and had the biggest hit of the two-run bottom of the seventh that completed the comeback.

Swoyersville handed Greater Pittston its only two league losses, but finished a game back in the final standings at 9-3. The teams reached the championship game of the rain-delayed league tournament, but with Region 5 Tournament coming up and three Wyoming Valley berths available for that event, the league title game was never played.

Instead, the teams met with the loser going home and the winner moving within one step of the state tournament berth that Greater Pittston obtained with relative ease a day later.

Lawall was the winning pitcher and scored the game-winning run. His efforts, including a seventh-inning double, helped complete a comeback from a three-run hole and two later two-run deficits.

With Green Ridge leading, 5-4, Jack Mathis was at first when Lawall came to the plate with one out.

“I was just looking for a fastball to try to hit,” said Lawall of his only extra-base hit while going 5-for-18 (.278) in the tournament. “I’ve been struggling a little bit recently and in the regional.

“I got a fastball to hit and ended up getting a double.”

Lawall’s shot deep down the line landed beyond the reach of the Swoyersville right fielder, but hesitation on the base paths prevented Mathis from scoring.

“I was super excited,” Lawall said. “I thought the run was going to score, but we ended up getting him in anyway.”

Kyle Skutack’s squeeze bunt tied the game and everyone was safe when Swoyersville tried unsuccessfully to get Mathis at the plate.

Vinny Bonomo also tried to lay down a bunt. After a foul, however, he swung away and popped the ball just over the pitcher’s head, landing softly behind the mound as Lawall slid home with the winning run, touching off a Greater Pittston celebration much more spirited than the one when the championship became official a day later.

Greater Pittston rallied after chasing Mason Sgarlat from the mound. Sgarlat had worked two complete games, including a shutout, to get wins in the first two meetings. He left after 99 pitches with a 5-3 lead in the sixth.

“Mason Sgarlat is the best pitcher in this area,” Greater Pittston manager Steve Homza said. “ … We knew going into this game that we had to run his pitch count up. We were fortunate enough to do that in the sixth inning and we capitalized when we needed to.

“We had big hits in the sixth inning. We had a lot of guys on base and I think the game plan worked.”

While Sgarlat was rolling early, Greater Pittston starter Nick Cerasaro fought to keep his team close. He struck out six while overcoming two errors to limit Swoyersville to two earned runs – four total – in the first 3 2/3.

Lawall entered with a runner in scoring position, stranding him and turning the game around from there.

“As soon as he came in the game, the game completely switched,” Homza said. “I felt like we were dominant as soon as he came in the game.”

Greater Pittston scored in the fifth despite having a runner erased at the plate.

Mathis had an RBI double in the fifth and Cerasaro drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, cutting the deficit to 5-4.

Mathis reached on a throwing error, forcing a hurried play in the infield, with one out in the seventh.

Bonomo scored twice.

Troy Davis, who doubled and scored earlier, suffered a leg injury while trying to beat out an infield hit leading off the bottom of the seventh. The team’s leading hitter in the regional missed the final because of the injury.

Davis finished 6-for-17 (.353) in four Region 5 games with three doubles, five stolen bases and six RBI.

Bonomo and Cawley each had four of Greater Pittston’s 19 stolen bases in five tournament games.

Greater Pittston 4, Wilkes-Barre/Plains 3

Greater Pittston reached the four-team bracket play by pulling out a 4-3 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Plains July 16 to finish 2-1 in the pool play that was used to cut the field in half.

After manufacturing the game’s first three runs in the top of the third, Greater Pittston held on with the help of Nick Cerasaro’s relief effort.

Each team finished with four hits.

Greater Pittston scored in the third on an error, Jeremy Cawley’s steal of home and a fielder’s choice.

Cerasaro allowed just one walk and struck out two while getting the last four outs. He induced a groundout by his first batter with two men on and two out.

Troy Davis, who scored a run, and Cameron Moser, who drove one in, each had doubles.

Vinny Bonomo and Cawley each had two of the team’s six stolen bases and scored a run. Bonomo had a hit.

Greater Pittston 12, Jersey Shore 0

Troy Davis drove in five runs as Greater Pittston took advantage of Jersey Shore wildness to bounce back from its opening 7-6 loss to South Scranton with a five-inning rout in the July 15 game.

Davis was 2-for-3 with a double, two walks, two stolen bases and two runs scored.

Greater Pittston scored seven runs in the top of the third to open a 9-0 lead on the way to winning early on the 10-run rule.

Jersey Shore pitchers issued 14 walks, threw eight wild pitches and hit two batters.

Jeremy Cawley doubled in his only official at-bat, walked four times and scored three runs.

Vinny Bonomo was 2-for-3 with a double, a walk, a run and two RBI.

Nick Cerasaro doubled in three runs to start the third-inning scoring.

Paul Rusincovitch had a hit, walk and two runs.

Winning pitcher Hunter Lawall worked the first three innings. Tommy Carlin and Sean Petrosky each threw a hitless inning to finish the combined two-hitter.

Greater Pittston scored early.

Cawley walked, reached second on a wild pitch and scored on a Davis double. Davis came in to score and make it 2-0.