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DUNMORE — Back Mountain scored in the first inning, with the help of errors, and the last inning, by stringing together half of its hits.

Abington American was in control of everything in between.

The District 17 champions scored in five straight innings on the way to a 9-2 victory Saturday afternoon at Schautz Stadium to claim the Section 5 Junior Little League Baseball title.

James Myers, who played an outstanding game at shortstop, and Graham Gilmore each provided a single, double and two RBI to the 12-hit Abington attack.

Aiden Messett came within an out of a three-hitter before finishing up his complete game effort on the mount.

“Their pitcher was in control,” Back Mountain manager Anton Kachur said. “He kind of set the tone. He was always around the zone. He had us swinging early.”

Back Mountain came out of the elimination bracket and needed two straight wins over unbeaten Abington to emerge as champion. It led after one inning and used two tough inning-ended plays with runners on third to go into the bottom of the third still tied.

Three errors and a Roginski sacrifice fly put Back Mountain ahead, 1-0, in the top of the first.

“It was nerves early,” Abington manager Dewey Petty said. “I think they were think about states more than the game early on.”

Abington settled down quickly to earn its shot in the state tournament, which opens Wednesday in Cranberry.

Although it also had errors, including on errant throws, Back Mountain made some defensive plays to keep the game close early.

Pitcher Alex Kapral went to first baseman Ian Evans, who threw home to C.J. Cercone for a 1-3-2 double play and a 1-0 lead after one.

With runners on second and third in the second, Nick Kachur made a backhand play at short and hurried the throw to first just in time for Evans to scoop out the short hop and end the inning.

Abington took command with three runs in the third and two each in the fourth and fifth.

Nick Notari doubled in two runs in the third, Myers singled in two in the fourth and Chris Callahan doubled to drive in one run and score the other in the fifth.

Callahan came off the bench to go 2-for-2, helping Abington build the lead to 9-1 going to the seventh.

Abington missed a chance to end the game early on the 10-run rule in part because relief pitcher Roginski started a 1-2-3 double play to escape a bases-loaded jam in the fifth.

Back Mountain put together three straight hits with two out in the seventh to add a run and extend its game and season a few extra minutes. Cerone singled and scored on Kachur’s third hit before Roginski provided one more.

By Tom Robinson

For Times Leader