HUGHESTOWN – Dom Innamorati worked his way back into the lineup, then up through the batting order.
The junior has become one of the leading hitters on a Pittston Area team that won four times in a seven-day stretch ending Friday to extend its winning streak to 10 and improve to 12-1 overall.
Dom Innamorati, a junior, showed off his impact on the Pittston Area offense while Nick Innamorati, his freshman brother, was continuing to move toward the top of the team’s rotation with a complete game effort in a 10-0, six-inning victory over visiting Crestwood in a Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 game Monday.
“Dom started as a freshman, then last year he trailed off a bit,” Patriots coach Paul Zaffuto said. “We went to another guy and he ended up sitting all year. He didn’t pout. He just worked hard and came back.”
Through scrimmages and early non-league play, Dom Innamorati batted seventh. Before long, he was in the second spot in the lineup where he went 3-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored Monday.
“It’s a great combination to have (Drew) DeLucca at leadoff, him at two and Silvio Giardina in the third spot,” Zaffuto said. “We can have a big inning.”
Giardina singled, doubled, scored twice and drove in two runs.
Rich Tonte went 2-for-2. Beau Widdick and Gavin Wardecki had doubles.
Widdick’s double ended the game after Dom Innamorati and Giardina started the three-run sixth with hits.
Nick Innamorati needed just 74 pitches, 46 of which were strikes, to toss a three-hitter. He walked three and struck out three.
“He’s exceeding a lot of expectations,” Zaffuto said. “He’s pounding the zone and our defense is very, very solid behind him. We just keep telling him ‘I don’t care how many guys get base hits in a row’. We can’t get beat by walks and hit by pitches.
“We’re just too good and too well-schooled behind him. And, even if we do make a mistake behind him, we’re just one pitch away because we can turn a double play with the best of them. Just roll us a groundball and we can be out of an inning.”
The Patriots have shut out half the opponents in the winning streak, during which they have outscored teams 99-16.
Dom Innamorati leads the team in hits and runs scored (22) while posting the second-best batting average on the Patriots at .468.
Nick Innamorati is 2-0 with a save and has not allowed a run in 14 2/3 innings. He has given up seven hits and seven walks while striking out nine.
Pittston Area 15, Wyoming Valley West 4
Drew DeLucca, Beau Widdick and Silvio Giardina all had big games offensively in Friday’s road win by the WVC Division 1 leaders.
DeLucca was 4-for-5 with a double, two stolen bases, two runs and two RBI from the leadoff spot.
Widdick doubled three times and drove in four runs. He also stole two bases.
Giardina went 3-for-4, stole three bases, scored three times and drove in three.
Logan Laskowski did not allow a run in four innings of relief.
Pittston Area 15, Tunkhannock 0
Pittston Area scored nine runs in the bottom of the first Wednesday, then got a combined, four-inning, no-hitter from three pitchers.
T.J. Johnson worked the first two innings, followed by an inning each from Ciaran Bilbow and Adam Williams.
Silvio Giardina went 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBI to lead the 13-hit attack.
Dom Innamorati doubled and tripled. Drew DeLucca, Rich Tonte and Elijah Mead also had two hits.
DeLucca scored four times.
Pittston Area 8, La Salle College High 2
Pittston Area went to Philadelphia April 20 and posted the non-league victory.
Silvio Giardina got the win with relief help from Logan Laskowski, who recorded the last two outs.
Jake Aftewicz, who had a double and an RBI, and Gavin Wardecki had two hits each.
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