H.S. Baseball: Hazleton Area clinches fifth consecutive Division 1 championship

HAZLE TWP. — This was the year to catch Hazleton Area and end its long reign atop Division 1 of Wyoming Valley Conference baseball.

Instead, the Cougars disposed of their final challenger in a fashion so impressive that even the opposing coach lauded their performance Wednesday.

Hazleton Area jumped out early and rode the strong pitching from lefty Antonio Doganiero to an 8-0 victory over Pittston Area.

Hazleton Area finished 13-1 in the division and improved to 15-4 overall. The Cougars have won five consecutive WVC Division 1 championships. Pittston Area (11-2 Div. 1, 15-3) has been the runner-up on four occasions.

“The game of baseball today, the way they played those first four innings, that’s how you play baseball,” Pittston Area coach Paul Zaffuto said. “We wish for games like that.”

The Cougars barreled up some hits and used some small-ball tactics to take an 8-0 lead. That was more than enough the way Doganiero, a Pitt commit, was baffling Pittston Area batters.

Doganiero’s curveball was outstanding. He started it high at times and at others about waist level. Either way, it dropped off the table and led to 11 strikeouts against a Patriots team known for putting the ball in play.

Doganiero pitched against Pittston Area in a 5-4 loss on April 9. He had a no decision, pitching 3.2 innings and giving up four hits and striking out only two. He didn’t deviate from his style Wednesday.

“It doesn’t change at all,” Doganiero said. “You stick with what’s good.”

Doganiero walked the bases loaded in the sixth before departing. Right fielder Chris Florentino preserved the shutout by ending the inning with a running catch to the fence.

Florentino and Shea Higgins had RBI singles in the first inning. Nick Ledger knocked 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