PITTSTON — The Mountain Top 8-10 baseball all-stars found themselves in a unique situation earlier this month.
And at the same time, they were in a pretty good one as well, with the top of the batting order in position to break a tie game with Plains in the sixth innings.
The first three batters reached base and scored as Mountain Top took home the District 16 championship with a 9-7 victory over Plains at the Pittston City Little League.
Mountain Top advanced to the Section 5 tournament with its toughest win so far. The team outscored its previous four opponents 60-6, yet trailed 7-6 with one inning to decided the season.
“Honestly, I think this is the calmest team I’ve ever coached in my life between coaching high school and being a pitching coach in college,” Mountain Top manager Jeff Williams said. “This is the calmest team. They are always even keel.”
Mountain Top sure looked it as Bryce Williams led off the sixth with a single and Eli Metz followed with a double, his second extra-base hit of the game. Ryder Zurawski, who already had two hits, was intentionally walked to load the bases. The next three batters, though, delivered.
Avery Tetlak hit a sacrifice fly to tie the score. Michael Woss sent an RBI single to center to give Mountain Top the lead, and Jonah Zeneski’s groundout plated the third run of the inning.
Williams also plated a big part on the mound, holding Plains without a hit over the final 2.1 innings. He helped end Plains’ five-run fourth inning where Jacob Antolick, Bennett Tommaselli and Jayce Miller had an RBI.
Williams also retired the side in order in the fifth — the only time it happened to either team — and allowed one baserunner in the sixth.
Metz finished 4-f0r-4, scored three times and had the defensive play of the game. The 8-year-old shortstop raced down a pop fly in shallow left field and made an over-the-head catch with his back to the infield in the third inning.
“He made an unbelievable catch,” Williams said. “That catch, I’ve never seen before in my life. That was insane for a Little League kid.”
Zeneski was 2-for-4 with a double and four RBI. Zurawski finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and three runs scored. Tetlak also had a double.
Donny Stark had two of Plains’ five hits, include a double. Braedon Hollingshead also had a double.
