Crestwood Baseball

Cougars win Round 1 with Comets nine

Leadoff hitter Grant Russo went 3-for-3 with four stolen bases and five runs scored last week, powering Hazleton Area to a 13-6 Wyoming Valley Conference baseball win over Crestwood. With the win, the Cougars extended their WVC winning streak to 39 games going back to May 2019.

Brett Antolick contributed two doubles, a single and four RBI batting out of the number 2 hole, with Russo scoring ahead of him at nearly every turn.

The Cougars improved to

8-1 (7-0 conference) with the win.

Crestwood (5-6, 1-6) got to Cougars’ starter Johansel Brito for a run in the home first on singles by Chaz Wright and Joe Moratori and Nathan Stortz’s fielder’s choice grounder. Brito then kept the Comets’ bats quiet until they plated three unearned runs in the top of the fifth.

By that time, the Cougars added one run in the second, three more in the third and one in both the fourth and fifth innings to build a 10-1 lead.

The Comets made things interesting with three runs in the bottom of the fifth highlighted by Trevor Dean’s two-run single and a two-spot in the sixth. Moratori’s single chased home two runs to make it 10-6 and force the Cougars to re-enter their regulars. A three-run top of the seventh secured things for the Cougars. The two teams were scheduled to meet again this week (Wednesday) in Hazle Township.

Wrecker baseball team hits tough stretch

The Weatherly Area baseball team faced a tough pitcher on Monday, falling to Brandon Smith and Nativity 18-0 in a Schuylkill League Division II-III game. Smith tossed a two-hit shutout and struck out six as the Hilltoppers got the five-inning Schuylkill League win. Smith threw 38 of his 45 pitches for strikes, facing just 16 batters.

He was backed by a 10-hit attack bolstered by 10 walks and seven Weatherly errors.

Trey Keating had two hits, drove in two runs and scored three times for the Hilltoppers, while Ryan

Grabowski was 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs.

Jack James and Michael Davies both doubled for Weatherly (3-11, 1-7).

Mikey Kranyak and Josh Witner added two singles apiece for the Preppers.

Klaus Eroh, Tanner Hinkle and Dylan Buck had the only hits for the Wreckers.

WRECKERS’ MCLAURIN CHOOSES KING’S –Weatherly Area High School senior Ian McLaurin, seated center, has signed a letter of intent to continue his academic and track careers at King’s College. McLaurin is a member of the Wreckers’ basketball and track and field teams. Joining him at the signing ceremony are his parents, Shawn and Michele McLaurin, and his sister Grace McLaurin. Standing, from left: Weatherly Area High School principal Anthony DeSpirito, Weatherly Area head track and field coach Ryan Kately, and Weatherly Area athletic director Scott Zoscin. Submitted Photo

MMI Prep 13, Weatherly Area 2 - Lex Lispi collected three hits, including a triple and home run, and Ty McDermott tripled, doubled and singled as MMI downed Weatherly Area in a non-league game Saturday, in Foster Township.

Williams Valley 15, Weatherly Area 5 - Last week in Tower City, Gavin Sutton went 2-for-3 with an RBI as Williams Valley earned the five-inning Division II-III crossover win.

Winning pitcher Chase Deibert struck out six for the Vikings, while Cody Boehmer took the mound in the fifth inning and struck out the side to end the game.

Jack James singled twice, and Ian McLaurin and Dylan Buck had base hits for the Wreckers.

Crestwood Tennis Comets net win over Patriots

Crestwood did not surrender a set in cruising past Pittston Area 5-0 last week in a Wyoming Valley Conference boys’ tennis match.

Tommy Biscotti and Scott Lenio both breezed to 6-0, 6-0 singles wins for the Comets (6-4). Biscotti beat Tyler Hutchins, and Lenio blanked JunJie Cao.

At second singles, Crestwood’s Noah Ceklosky downed Tanner Osborne 6-3, 6-1.

The Comets’ first doubles team of Braiden Fallbright and Sean Rossi shut out Zisheng Lin and Jack Sanguedolce 6-0, 6-0. Crestwood won the second doubles match by forfeit.