Wyoming Area pitcher Jake Snyder threw a complete game in defeating Holy Redeemer 4-2 in the Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 championship game at Pittston Area Primary Center.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area shortstop Brady Noone robs Holy Redeemer’s Jack Hurst of a single up the middle in the fifth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Holy Redeemer’s Connor Krakosky is safe at home after a throw to home on DJ McDermott’s grounder in the second inning.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area’s Ben Rogish (18) slides safely into home on a sacrifice fly in the third inning as Holy Redeemer cather Kayden Stevenson loses the ball at the plate.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli high fives Alex Vacula after he hit an RBI single in the fifth inning.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
HUGHESTOWN — Wyoming Area knows it’s not a baseball team that can change things with one swing.
Instead, the Warriors use a lot of tactics to manufacture runs — like in Thursday’s Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 championship game against Holy Redeemer.
Wyoming Area made the most of three hits, some bunts, a dash of daring baserunning and a couple errors for a 4-2 victory over Holy Redeemer at the Pittston Area Primary Center.
“That’s kind of been our M.O. all year,” Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli said. “We don’t bang the ball all over the park; we don’t hit gaps; we don’t have those big 200-pounders; so we have to play small ball, handle the bat, manufacture runs, see pitches, get hit by pitches.
“When did we have our first hit today, the fifth?”
There were a few other key factors as well.
Sophomore lefty Jacob Snyder pitched a complete game, his second consecutive strong performance against Holy Redeemer after being roughed up in a 15-0 loss to the Royals on April 15. The defense was flawless and highlighted by a diving stab of a low liner by second baseman David Fath that he converted into a game-ending double play.
“(Snyder) has a lot of talent and I think it was a combination of Holy Redeemer — tip your cap to them, they are a really good team — they came in hot that day,” Lemoncelli said of Snyder’s struggles on April 15. “It was a big game at Wilkes. They played well and we didn’t. What are you going to do.”
The teams finished tied atop Division 2 with 9-3 records, but Thursday’s game will not affect the District 2 power ratings, which are based solely on regular-season records. Fifth-seeded Wyoming Area (12-9 overall) will open the District 2 Class 4A playoffs at fourth-seeded Valley View (9-11). Top-seeded Holy Redeemer (15-6) will host eighth-seeded Lakeland (4-14) in the D2-3A playoffs.
Wyoming Area pieced together a two-run fifth inning using its first two hits of the game, two walks and a hit batter to take a 3-2 lead.
Chris Speicher led off with a walk and Mitchell Rusinchak followed with a sacrifice bunt. Speicher noticed no one covering third, so he sprinted his way to the bag. Snyder was hit by a pitch and Matt Rusinchak dropped down another bunt. Matt Rusinchak reached first by avoiding a tag and Speicher scored to tie the score 2-2.
An out later, Alex Vacula hit an RBI single to left for a 3-2 advantage.
“They put together some really good at-bats on Drew (Cisney),” Holy Redeemer coach Ryan Knowles said. “They made him work. There was a great at-bat by (Brady) Noone. Credit to them. They made all the plays, (played) good defense. They played a real clean game. In a tight game like that, we had a couple mistakes that come back and get you.”
The Warriors scored again in the seventh as Ben Rogish reached on an error, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on Mitchell Rusinchak’s bunt single. He scored on a sac fly by Snyder.
Holy Redeemer got a one-out single by Nick Mazzarella in the seventh, followed by a walk by Jack Hurst. Cody Quaglia then hit a low liner that seemed destined for center field, but Fath made a diving catch and flipped to Noone at shortstop to complete the game-ending double play.
Redeemer took a 1-0 lead in the second, scoring a run on DJ McDermott’s fielder’s choice. Wyoming Area tied the score in the third with three walks and a sac fly by Matt Rusinchak.
The Royals took a 2-1 lead in the fourth when courtesy runner Connor Krakosky escaped a rundown between second and third and eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Snyder walked two and struck out four in a four-hitter.
