Back Mt. Girls Win, Play For Title/ Today’s Nanticoke-back Mt. Winner Is Minor League Softball Champ

Times Leader staff
Wednesday, July 13, 2005 Page: 3B

Tiffany Oplinger struck out seven and helped herself with three singles and
three RBI as Back Mountain forced a final game in the District 16 Minor League
softball tournament with a 7-5 victory over Nanticoke on Tuesday.

The teams will meet again at 6 p.m. today at the Exeter Little League. The
District 16 Little League baseball game between Edwardsville/Larksville and
host Exeter has been moved to 8 p.m.
Morgan Decker added two singles and Morgan Kane had a two-run double for
Back Mountain.

Katie Wolfe paced Nanticoke with a triple, single and two RBI.


D16 SENIOR BASEBALL




Wyoming/West Wyoming/Exeter/West Pittston 8, Bob Horlacher 1

BEAUMONT – Michael Keaney pitched a complete-game while striking out four
and allowing three hits to lead the winners.

Also for the winning squad, Brandon Pope was 4-for-4, Mark Mizzer doubled
and had two RBI and Andrew Duliba scored two runs.

Peter Kelly took the loss for Bob Horlacher.


Back Mountain 7, Plains/North Wilkes-Barre 1

WILKES-BARRE – Winning pitcher Dylan Seeley threw a complete-game
six-hitter and struck out six.

Mike Zaleskas and Tom Parrish each had two hits, including a double, for
Back Mountain. Ryan Konopki and Kevin Racemus also doubled.

Justin Gober had two singles and also scored the only run for Plains/North
Wilkes-Barre.







Kingston 10, S. Wilkes-Barre 1

WILKES-BARRE – Steven Zuranski struck out nine en route to the
complete-game victory and Mike Bish hit a two-run home run to lead Kingston.

Bobby Polachek, Ben Mariano and Zuranski added two singles apiece and Ryan
English tripled for Kingston.

Chris Moyer drove in South Wilkes-Barre’s lone run with a single and Tony
Morrash doubled.


D16 9-10 BASEBALL




Back Mountain National 17, Ed /Lark 5

FORTY FORT – Brian Stepniak went 4-for-4 with a double and Alex Barilla
went 3-for-4 with a home run to lead Back Mountain National.

J.T. Carter also went 3-for-4 for National, and Josh McEntee hit a triple
and a single and was the winning pitcher.

Darrick Simms, Evan Pirillo and David Chacke had two singles apiece for
Ed/Lark.


S. Wilkes-Barre 13, Hanover 8

WILKES-BARRE – Matt DeMarco had a three-run triple and an RBI single to
help South Wilkes-Barre win a second-round North Wilkes-Barre bracket game.

Ryan Krawczeniuk struck out five to earn the complete-game victory and
helped himself at the plate with a single and two RBI.

South Wilkes-Barre came up with some clutch defensive plays. With runners
on first and second in the sixth inning, DeMarco made a diving catch at
shortstop to help preserve the win. With the bases loaded and two outs in the
second inning, outfielder Frank Pasqualichio made an over the shoulder catch
of a Cody Smith blast to keep South Wilkes-Barre’s lead at 4-0.

John Yurkoski led Hanover’s offense with two hits.


Newport 9, Ashley 3

SHICKSHINNY – Brandon Meck led Newport to victory by striking out 10 to
pick up the win, while contributing two hits at the plate.

Shawn Boyle singled and tripled and scored three runs for the winners, and
Scott Morganti had three hits, including a double.

For Ashley, Matt Kocher and David Lupee singled.


Wyoming/West Wyoming 7, Forty Fort 6

FORTY FORT – Wyoming/West Wyoming overcame a two-run deficit in the top of
the sixth inning led by Bobby Sweitzer, who drove in Jared Saporito and Rocky
Rutkoski with a double to give his team the lead.

Sweitzer was also the starting pitcher. He struck out four and allowed two
hits. Brian Mates picked up the win in relief.

Tony Alexander and Joseph Echulis each tripled for Forty Fort.


D16 JUNIOR BASEBALL




Duryea 4, Kingston 0

KINGSTON – Corey Hodick struck out 10 and scattered five hits to earn the
complete-game victory for Duryea.

Hodick also had two doubles, and teammate Eric Gima tripled and doubled.
Also for Duryea, Louis Hughes added two singles.


D16 JUNIOR SOFTBALL




Newport/Nanticoke 4, Wyoming/Exeter/W. Pittston 0

NANTICOKE – Jess Higgins hurled a one-hit shutout and struck out 13 as
Newport/Nanticoke eliminated Wyoming/Exeter/West Pittston.

Lotti Chipego and Amanda Cardone had two hits apiece for the winners.

Brandi Keeler had Wyoming/Exeter/West Pittston’s lone hit. Losing pitcher
Carrissa Kross threw well, scattering five hits and striking out nine.




Several games were played in the first round at Plains and
Edwardsville/Larksville Little Leagues in the 8-9 year-old tournament.

* Mayflower defeated Heights 10-0 as winning pitcher Kyle McHale hit a
two-run homer.

* Plains-1 blanked Mountain Top 3-0 as starter Dave Marriggi and reliever
Adam Giovanelli combined on the shutout. Giovanelli fanned the last six
batters. Billy Poray and Matt Picketts each had two hits. Donny Hopkins
singled for Mountain Top.

Plains-1 followed up with a 6-0 victory over Mayflower. Giovanelli, Kyle
Lupas and Alex Cerep each had two hits. Ricky Stayer was the winning pitcher.
Brian Klapat had Mayflower’s only hit.

Marriggi and Giovanelli combined for a no-hitter and Dave Sterba hit a
three-run homer as Plains-1 defeated Hanover 14-0.

* R.J. Kenzakowski tripled and singled and Damian Farrell reached base
three times as Plains-2 defeated East Mountain 10-0. Daulton Lentini had two
hits for East Mountain.

* Michael Delaney and James Emmett had two hits each and Emmett also struck
out 12 as Jenkins Township defeated Pittston 11-1. Josh Neal scored for
Pittston. Jenkins also topped North Wilkes-Barre 26-1 as Pat McGinty, James
Emmett and Kyle Pieczynski led the offense with three hits each. Bucky Schwab
pitched the game.

* Mountain Top defeated Plains-2 11-0 by scoring nine times in its final
two innings. Brian Markowski and Danny Hopkins led the offense.

* South Wilkes-Barre downed Hanover 11-4 as Brian Leighton had three hits
and Sam Shovlin and Vince Williamson added two apiece.

Hanover rebounded for a 12-0 victory over North Wilkes-Barre as Anthony Eck
and Dominic Vitale had two hits each.

* North Wilkes-Barre scored six times in the first inning and defeated
Heights 7-6. Rich Sarbaugh, Mike Bazadona and Zack Kondraski pitched well for
the winners.

* Pittston scored six runs in the fourth to defeat South Wilkes-Barre 10-9.
Jimmy Wychock had the game-winning hit, and Paul Sromowski had a triple to
lead South Wilkes-Barre.