May 23—CLASS 6A
TEAMS: 5
DATES: First round, Tuesday; semifinals, Thursday; final, June 2
TOP SEED: Hazleton Area
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Delaware Valley — Aiden Oliver .321, 3 HR, 22 RBIs; Brenden Henn .435, 1 HR, 3 RBI; Christian Galimi 2-1, 1.87 ERA, 16K
Scranton — Matt Eckenrode .394, 13 R, 9 RBIs; Will Walsh .250 3 RBIs; Charlie Talapa 1-1, 2.56 ERA, 14 K; Matt Saita 1-4, 5.37 ERA, 35 K
THE BUZZ: This is a District 2-4 Subregional. … Hazleton Area defeated Williamsport in the 2019 final, 6-5. … This year, Hazleton Area is 20-0 and has allowed just six runs in its last 15 games (28 runs overall). Six players have 20 or more RBIs. The Cougars are led by Nick Biasi (7-0, 0.79 ERA, 66 K; .417, 5 HR, 20 RBIs) and Bryce Molinaro (.534, 5 HR, 34 RBIs). … Wilkes-Barre Area is led by Pedro Betancourt (.339, 14 R, 9 RBIs) and Ryan Novakowski (5-1, 1.67 ERA, 44 K). … District 4 Williamsport is led by Cameron Sims (.373, 15 R, 6 RBIs), Braeden Mazzante (.340, 12 RBIs) and Kydreece Burks (3-3, 3.16 ERA).
CLASS 5A
TEAMS: 8
DATES: Quarterfinals, Monday; semifinals, Wednesday; final, June 1
TOP SEED: North Pocono
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
North Pocono — Jake Millan .460, 6 HR, 29 RBIs, 5-0, 2.17 ERA, 52 K; Alex Brinkman .462, 4 HR, 14 RBIs; Damarco Maglio .320, 16 RBIs, 5-0, 1.91 ERA, 35 K
Wallenpaupack — T.J. Schmalzle .446, 34 R, 11 RBIs; Mabret Levant .368, 21 R, 19 RBIs, 5-1, 3.31 ERA, 45 K; Wyatt Peifer .365, 4 HR, 23 RBIs
Abington Heights — Matt Show .465, 17 R, 9 RBIs; Scott Gilbert 4-0, 1.50 ERA, 68 K, .231, 6 RBIs; Cole Vida 4-1, 1.97 ERA, 32 K
West Scranton — Zack Lloyd .306, 6 RBIs, 4-2, 2.23 ERA, 47 K; Cameron Butka .265, 10 RBIs; Nick Forsette .333, 6 RBIs
THE BUZZ: This is a District 2-4 Subregional. … District 4 Shikellamy is led by Drew Balestrini (.426, 2 HR, 21 RBIs, 34 R), Duncan Weir (.421, 2 HR, 21 RBIs, 26 R) and Mason Deitrich (6 wins, 3.73 ERA). … District 4 Selinsgrove won the PIAA Class 4A title in 2019, beating District 7 champion Beaver, 7-4, in the final at Penn State University’s Medlar Field. This season, the Seals are led by Teague Hoover (.483, 29 R, 4 HR, 17 RBIs, 4-1, 1.83 ERA) and Tyler Swineford (.407, 2 HR, 19 RBIs). … Wyoming Valley West is led by Garrett Vought (.415, 18 R, 5 RBIs), Hunter Sgarlat (.346, 16 R, 17 RBIs, 3-1, 0.61 ERA, 16 K) and Ryan Stevens (3-1, 4.20 ERA, 46 K). … Pittston Area lost its last seven games. The Patriots are led by Devon Markert (.333, 13 RBIs), P.J. Pisano (.364, 2 HR, 7 RBIs) and Adam Felinski (2-2, 4.38, 28 K). … The quarterfinal game between No. 1 North Pocono and No. 8 Pittston Area is a rematch of the 2019 final, which Pittston Area won, 5-4.
CLASS 4A
TEAMS: 7
DATES: First round, Tuesday; semifinals, Thursday; final, June 2
TOP SEED: Dallas
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Valley View — Ryan Cesarini .523, 20 R, 2 HR, 21 RBIs; Dylan Stafursky .237, 6 RBIs, 1-2, 2.26 ERA, 40 K; Adam Grundt .276, 13 RBIs
Honesdale — Trent Gombita .357, 19 R, 16 RBIs; Paul Meagher .281, 25 R, 7 RBIs; Joseph Curreri .255, 16 RBIs, 1-4, 4.10 ERA, 46 K
THE BUZZ: Dallas is led by Ryan Collins (.426, 18 RBIs), Zachary Luksic (.321, 6 HR, 14 RBIs) and Chris Killian (.317, 23 RBIs, 4-0, 0.88 ERA, 60 K). The Mountaineers won the Class 4A title in 2019, beating Scranton Prep in the final, 2-1. … Wyoming Area is led by J.J. Hood (.333, 3 HR, 12 RBIs, 5-0, 1.59 ERA, 77 K), Evan Melberger (.435, 7 RBIs) and Jake Kelleher (.419, 16 RBIs). … Tunkhannock is led by Aiden Paddock (.327, 11 R, 7 RBIs), Shane Wood (.315, 11 RBIs) and Tommy Sheridan (.320, 8 RBIs). … Hanover Area is led by Connor Hummer (.500, 8 RBIs, 4-3, 4.52 ERA, 29 K) and Nate Jaslar (.258, 2 RBIs). … Berwick is led by Jack Dacier (.261, 10 R, 4 RBIs) and Teagan Shortlidge (2-3, 3.96 ERA, 37 K).
CLASS 3A
TEAMS: 8
DATES: Quarterfinals, Monday; semifinals, Wednesday; final, June 1
TOP SEED: Lake-Lehman
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion, runnerup
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Lakeland — Tyler Mullen .388, 23 R, 3 HR, 25 RBIs, 1-2, 2.71 ERA, 52 K; Shane Barrett .280, 11 RBIs, 6-0, 4.30 ERA, 49 K; Blake Snyder .375, 15 RBIs
Western Wayne — Zane Janiszewski .500, 22 R, 16 RBIs, 4-2, 3.93 ERA, 41 K; Tyler Peet .319, 18 RBIs; Dustin Ferraro .443, 16 RBIs
Scranton Prep — Ethan Muha .316, 11 RBIs; Noah Sorensen .279, 13 R, 10 RBIs; Luca Dennis 2-2, 6.22 ERA, 15 K
Dunmore — Zach Cruser .436, 17 R, 10 RBIs; Nick Sinkevich .308, 13 R, 15 RBIs; Nico Ruggiero .365, 17 R, 12 RBIs
THE BUZZ: Lake-Lehman is led by LSU commit Ty Federici (.400, 18 RBIs, 3-1, 3.32 ERA, 44 K) and Virginia Tech commit Nick Finarelli (7-1, 1.78 ERA, 68 K). Other key players are Max Paczewski (.429, 24 R, 11 RBIs) and Connor Morgan (.489, 14 RBIs). The Black Knights won the 2019 Class 3A title, beating Wyoming Seminary, 5-3, in the final. They then advanced to the PIAA Class 3A semifinals before losing to District 11 champion Notre Dame Green Pond. … Holy Redeemer is led by Nate Dudeck (.404, 2 HR, 22 RBIs, 4-1, 1.85 ERA, 43 K), Hunter Austra (.378, 15 RBIs) and Cameron Krugel ( .395, 2 HRs, 13 RBIs). … Nanticoke is led by Jake Krupinski (.404, 12 RBIs), Justin Spencer (4-3, 2.92 ERA, 40 K, .333, 16 RBIs) and Nick Matson (.348, 4 HR, 19 RBIs, 2-1, 3.20 ERA, 21 K). … Wyoming Seminary is led by Jackson Amend (.351, 2 HR, 6 RBIs, 12 R) and Will Youngman (.324, 8 R, 4 RBI)
CLASS 2A
TEAMS: 8
DATES: Quarterfinals, Tuesday; semifinals, Thursday; final, June 2
TOP SEED: Riverside
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Riverside — Jason Janesko .500, 28 R, 4 HR, 13 RBIs; Michael Rickert .443, 23 R, 23 RBIs; Zach Day .407, 16 R, 23 RBIs, 8-0, 1.81 ERA, 65 K
Lackawanna Trail — Ray Melnikoff .442, 14 R, 16 RBIs; Kyle Austin .409, 21 RBIs; Owen Lisk 5-0, 1.68 ERA, 43 K
Elk Lake — Levi Owens .417, 23 R, 14 RBIs, 4-1, 2.67 ERA, 53 K; Caden Ramey .385, 20 R, 19 RBIs; Isaac Gesford .391, 10 RBIs
Mountain View — Michael DeWolfe .389, 24 R, 15 RBIs, 4-4, 3.20 ERA, 39 K; Carter Bain 5-1, 1.88 ERA, 57 K, .220, 20 RBIs; Nathan Ofalt .292, 21 R, 5 RBIs
Blue Ridge — Coleman McCain .500, 26 R, 13 RBIs, 3-0, 4.75 ERA, 36 K; Carson Koehler .378, 12 RBIs; Michael Palmer .326, 10 RBIs
Old Forge — Ethan Tallo .421, 9 RBIs; Michael DiGregorio .333, 4 RBIs; Sean Donovan .286, 10 RBIs, 2-4, 3.53 ERA, 53 K
Holy Cross — Connor Rasimovich .340, 5 HR, 10 RBIs; Tommy Rohan .377, 15 R, 19 RBIs, 1-0, 1.86 ERA, 35 K; Ryan Evans .391, 2 HR, 12 RBIs
THE BUZZ: Among the leading players for Northwest are Tommy Antolik and Joey Noss. … Blue Ridge defeated Holy Cross, 5-4, in the 2019 Class 2A final.
CLASS 1A
TEAMS: 2
DATES: Final, TBD
TOP SEED: MMI Prep
ADVANCE TO STATES: Champion
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Susquehanna — Colton Stone 2-2, 2.52 ERA, 34 K; Garrett Decker .323, 10 RBIs; Brad Cottrell .375, 13 R, 6 RBIs
THE BUZZ: After starting the season 0-7, Susquehanna won three of its last five games. … MMI Prep is led by Marcus Danchinson (.464, 15 R, 11 RBIs, 7-2, 1.19 ERA, 100 K). In the last two district finals, Danchinson has combined to allow just two runs and eight hits with one walk and 16 strikeouts in 13 1/3 innings. He blanked Forest City, 3-0, in 2018, but lost to Old Forge, 2-1, in 2019. … Other top players for the Preppers are Colin Williams (.367, 2 HR, 17 RBIs) and Kevin McNulty (.309, 3 HR, 19 RBIs).
— SCOTT WALSH
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