NANTICOKE — When Nanticoke Area pitcher Brandon Wozniak gets a couple runs, he feels more confident on the mound.
Even though Division 2 leader Holy Redeemer tried to come back on Tuesday, it didn't shake the Bloomsburg University recruit.
Instead, Wozniak dealt with a couple tough situations and pitched a complete game as the Trojans beat Redeemer 6-0 in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 2 baseball game.
Nanticoke Area (3-3 Div. 2, 4-7 overall) made the division title race more competitive. Redeemer's division record dropped to 5-2, with an 8-3 overall record.
Wozniak had eight strikeouts, gave up five hits, and picked off a runner in the fourth inning. The defense also played well, ending the game with a 4-6-3 double play.
Nanticoke Area scored four runs in the third. Wozniak, Derek Miller, and Derek Shemanski got consecutive RBI singles, and a wild pitch brought in another run.
Wozniak said, "It feels great. When I have a lead, I'll pitch the way I do. If you give me a 2-0 lead, we'll win the game."
Wozniak had a 1.14 ERA before the game and lowered it to 0.88.
The offensive explosion was a good sign for the Trojans, who have had trouble scoring runs this season. They lost a couple of one-run games, including 3-2 to Redeemer on April 11, and they haven't scored more than six runs in a game all season.
"It was important because we haven't been scoring with runners on base," Nanticoke Area coach Kevin Ward said. "We've been struggling there. Coach (John) Ivan and coach (Gerry) Shemanski made the lineup today.
They said we need to change some things. I went with their suggestions, and it worked out pretty well."
Nanticoke Area added two more runs in the fifth. Wozniak doubled to center, then stole third base and scored on a single by Miller. Tyler Skordensky later had an RBI single to left, making it 6-0.
Wozniak didn’t allow Redeemer a hit until Drew Cisny singled to start the fourth. Alex Gordon and Kayden Stevenson also had hits in the inning, but Redeemer couldn’t score.
Redeemer had the bases loaded in the sixth with two outs, but Wozniak got a called strike three to end the threat.
Nanticoke Area 6, Holy Redeemer 0
Holy Redeemer`AB`R`H`BI
Kopec cf`2`0`0`0
Cisny ss`3`0`1`0
Quaglia p`1`0`0`0
Krakosky cr`0`0`0`0
Binker p`1`0`0`0
Gordon 1b`3`0`2`0
Dugan pr`0`0`0`0
Stevenson c`2`0`1`0
Yakimowicz cr`0`0`0`0
Schultz lf`3`0`0`0
Kelsell rf`3`0`0`0
Mazzarella 3b`3`0`1`0
Hurst 2b`3`0`0`0
Totals`24`0`5`0
Nanticoke Area`AB`R`H`BI
E.Ball cf`4`0`1`0
Martinez 2b`3`1`0`0
Wozniak p`4`2`2`1
Miller ss`3`2`2`1
Shemanski c`2`0`2`1
D.Ball cr`0`0`0`0
Skordensky 3b`3`0`1`1
Stachowiak 1b`3`0`0`0
Stout dh`2`0`0`0
Beggs ph`1`0`0`0
Hull lf`0`0`0`0
Raggi rf`2`1`0`0
Totals`27`6`8`4
Holy Redeemer`000`000`0 — 0
Nanticoke Area`004`020`x — 6
2B — Wozniak.
Holy Redeemer`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Quaglia (L)`3`5`4`3`1`4
Binker`3`3`2`2`0`4
Nanticoke Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Wozniak (W)`7`5`0`0`2`8
