HAZLE TWP. — In this year, Hazleton Area was expected to be overtaken and no longer dominate Division 1 of Wyoming Valley Conference baseball.
However, the Cougars defeated their final opponent so impressively that even the opposing coach praised their performance on Wednesday.
Hazleton Area took an early lead and relied on strong pitching from lefty Antonio Doganiero to win 8-0 against Pittston Area.
Hazleton Area ended with a 13-1 record in the division and improved to 15-4 overall. The Cougars have now won five straight WVC Division 1 titles. Pittston Area (11-2 Div. 1, 15-3) has been the runner-up four times.
“The way they played in the first four innings today is how baseball should be played,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto stated. “We hope for games like that.”
The Cougars batted well and used small-ball strategies to take an 8-0 lead. This was more than enough with Doganiero, a committed Pitt player, confusing Pittston Area batters.
Doganiero’s curveball was excellent, starting high at times and at waist level at other times. Either way, it dropped sharply and resulted in 11 strikeouts against a Patriots team known for making plays.
Doganiero faced Pittston Area in a 5-4 loss on April 9. He had a no decision, pitching 3.2 innings, allowing four hits, and only striking out two. He didn’t change his style on Wednesday.
“It doesn’t change at all,” Doganiero said. “You stick with what’s good.”
Doganiero walked the bases loaded in the sixth before leaving. Right fielder Chris Florentino maintained the shutout by making a running catch to the fence.
Florentino and Shea Higgins had RBI singles in the first inning. Nick Ledger brought in two runs with a single in the second, increasing the lead to 5-0.
Richie Rossi bunted home a run in the third — the second time Hazleton Area used a bunt to score. Florentino hit a triple and scored on a wild pitch in the fourth. Ledger brought home the final run in the fourth with a sacrifice fly.
“That’s what we want the team identity to be,” Hazleton Area coach Russ Canzler said. “We’re going to try to do whatever we have to do to hold you to zeros and then fight for every run we can get.”
Hazleton Area 8, Pittston Area 0
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
DeLucca cf`3`0`0`0
D.Innamorati lf`2`0`1`0
Giardina p-ss`3`0`2`0
Aftewicz c`2`0`0`0
Barr ss-1b`2`0`0`0
Cerasaro 1b`0`0`0`0
Widdick 2b`3`0`1`0
Tonte 3b`3`0`0`0
Wardecki 1b`2`0`0`0
Harnen p`1`0`0`0
Mead rf`3`0`0`0
Wruble cr`0`0`0`0
Totals`24`0`4`0
Hazleton Area`AB`R`H`BI
Hearity lf`3`2`1`1
Soquiel ph`1`0`0`0
Florentino rf`2`3`2`1
Schmidt rf`0`0`0`0
Martoccio 3b`2`1`0`0
Ledger c`3`0`1`3
Higgins 2b`2`0`1`1
Festa pr`0`1`0`0
Katchur 2b`1`0`0`0
Marino dh`2`0`2`0
Doganiero p`0`0`0`0
Rossi cf`1`0`0`1
Aponick ss`2`1`0`0
Racho 1b`1`0`0`0
Yakubowski ph`1`0`0`0
Totals`21`8`7`7
Pittston Area`000`000`0 — 0
Hazleton Area`231`200`x — 8
2B — Widdick, Hearity. 3B — Florentino.
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Giardina (L)`4`7`8`8`2`1
Harnen`2`0`0`0`2`1
Hazleton Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Doganiero (W)`5.2`4`0`0`3`11
Castrine`1.1`0`0`0`0`2
