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RICE TWP. — With the way the West squad was swinging the bats, it appeared there was only one thing that could stop the senior Wyoming Valley Conference baseball squad.
And as the sky darkened over the Mountain Post Legion field, Mother Nature would win.
The West scored three runs in the first inning off Holy Redeemer’s Jordan Choman before the game was called after one complete inning. Aaron Kreitzer of Nanticoke Area was awarded the game’s Most Valuable Player.
“I was looking forward to this game all week, just seeing some of my friends and the guys I competed with all year,” said Tunkhannock’s Brian Muckin, who is going to play at Marywood next year. “The rain puts a damper on it, but it was still fun.”
Muckin made it a memorable first inning.
His fielder’s choice drove in the West’s second run, while an amazing diving grab in center field robbed Hazleton’s Livan Reinoso of extra bases.
“I didn’t think I was getting to it because the kid hit it pretty hard,” Muckin said. “Luckily, I was able to get to it. When he hit it, it did look like a shot, so I just ran to the fence. I never made a diving play when I was diving out for the ball. Usually, it’s always diving in.”
Wyoming Area’s Mike Bonita and Meyers’ Colin Pasone stared the game off with back-to-back hits, and two batters later, Dallas’ J.D. Barrett was walked to load the bases with only one out. Choman issued a four-pitch walk to Coughlin’s Leroy Fettig to push across the first run before Muckin’s fielder’s choice to short upped the lead to 2-0.
The third run scored as Barrett crossed home on a wild pitch.
Redeemer’s Tim Cavanaugh led off the East’s lone at-bat with a double to deep center, but Meyers’ Ryan Gilgallon retired the next three batters.
The West had two on base, Gilgallon and Coughlin’s Eric Christian, before lightning halted play.
