KINGSTON — For the Dallas Mountaineers, not to be picked to win the Wyoming Valley Conference’s Division 1 this season is probably not too much of a surprise. Not with the likes of Pittston Area and Hazleton Area lurking as favorites.
On Thursday afternoon at Spartan Stadium, Dallas came out swinging, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning and belting four extra base hits in an 11-1 victory over Wyoming Valley West.
While the Mountaineers (2-2 overall, 1-1 Division 1) finished with nine hits, the five-run first inning was more than enough for Dominick Zangardi. The lefthander pitched a five-inning three-hitter and struck out 10. He walked one and allowed a run in the bottom of the first inning.
After losing their conference opener by the 10-run rule Tuesday, the Mountaineers felt like they needed to prove something. Not only to the rest of the league, but to themselves.
“This was a really big game for us,” Zangardi said. “We were coming off a tough loss. Our bats picked up in the first inning. That really helped me, and it really helped us.”
Jude Nocito started the game off with a double and scored on an error when he broke to third too quickly, while Valley West (5-3, 1-1) starter Jacob Fine was still in the stretch. Nocito was caught between second and third in a rundown and scored. Kaden Coyne doubled, Connor Healey triple and Zach Williams cleared the bases with a three-run double.
“They played with a chip on their shoulder, this is how we have to play every game,” Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. “We want to set the tone right from the start. That is the type of team that we are. We want to hit the ball hard and run the bases.”
Dallas took a 5-1 lead into the fourth inning, when Williams led off with the first of two walks. Zangardi grounded out to score one run before Coyne hit a sharp single to left to make it 7-1. The Mountaineers put the game away in the fifth inning with four runs — two of them coming home on a double by Zangardi.
Valley West’s offense came from a pair of freshmen in Damien Eastman and Max Mylet. Eastman had an RBI double in the bottom of the first and Mylet finished with two hits in two at-bats.
After the second inning, Zangardi only allowed one runner to reach third and another to get as far as second base. He struck out the side in the first two innings, despite having some traffic on the bases.
“My changeup was really good today and I located my fastball,” Zangardi said. “I just felt really good.”
Wilkes-Barre Area 4, Berwick 2: At Berwick, Nathan Fritz tossed a complete game, allowing five hits and striking out five, as Wilkes-Barre Area improved to 2-0 in conference play.
Dalton Flowers had three hits and two RBIs for Wilkes-Barre Area.
Luke Sult led Berwick with two hits, including a home run, and Kamdyn Mausteller also had two hits — one of them a triple.
Crestwood 6, Nanticoke Area 2: At Nanticoke Area, Jack Rodgers had two hits and scored two runs, while Jaxson Fedak had a double and two RBIs to lead Crestwood.
Fedak also picked up the win on the mound, pitching the first four innings and striking out nine. Chase Galella had a single and two RBIs.
Derek Shemanski had two hits and an RBI for Nanticoke Area.
MMI Prep 10, Hanover Area 7: At MMI Prep, Tommy Horvat, Caleb Skuba and Josh Witner each had two hits, including a double, while Horvat and Skuba each drove in two to lead MMI Prep in the completion of a game postponed by rain Wednesday with the score tied at 5.
MMI Prep scored five runs in the bottom of the sixth to break the game open. Witner pitched five innings to get the win.
Conor Richardson had two hits and scored three runs for Hanover Area. Brody Richardson had two hits and two RBIs, while Camden Kratz had two hits and one RBI.
