SECTION 5 MAJOR LITTLE LEAGUE BASEBALL: Abington bounces back to claim title

SCOTT TWP. — When finally faced with defeat, the Abington Senior Little League Baseball team responded well.

After the team lost for the only time in 29 District 17 and Section 5 games over the last three years together as a Minor team in 2023 and a 9-11-year-old group last year, there was little time to regroup.

With storms moving in July 16 on what turned into a doubleheader, the time between games was reduced.

Instead of trying to squeeze in more baseball drills with less than a half-hour to work with, the team turned to a diversion.

“We tried in between games to get them to regroup,” Abington manager Paul Keeler said. “We did some duck, duck goose to keep it real light to remind these guys, this is just baseball. It’s a game. It’s fun. Let’s keep it chill and relax.”

After falling 3-2 to Kingston/Forty Fort to force a deciding game, Abington responded with a 10-3 victory.

“We had a lot of people who got behind them and pushed them,” Keeler said. “I’m proud of them that they were able to bounce back. … They were able to bounce back because they work together and support each other.

“Our defense I thought was much better in the second game.

Abington 10, Kingston/Forty Fort 3

Max Vazquez blasted a two-run homer to highlight a five-run third inning that sent Abington on its way to the title in a game that finished in increasingly hard showers.

“We were still kind of in that loss mode until we turned that double play,” Keeler said. “Then, we came back into the dugout, we had some energy, the boys really got behind each other and we got the bats going.”

Vazquez started the double play from his shortstop position.

Abington scored the first eight runs of the title game before Kingston/Forty Fort managed one in each of its final three at-bats.

Penn Eckenrode finished 3-for-3 to lead a 15-hit attack.

James Kane doubled twice while Vazquez and Jaxon Hizny each had two hits.

Grady Tomachick and Ben Hillebrand each scored twice.

Kingston Forty Fort 3, Abington 2

Kingston/Forty Fort scored the winning run on a throwing error in the bottom of the sixth and Ma’Kye Kushnir retired the last five Abington batters.

Abington took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth when Vazquez singled, took second on a wild pitch and scored on an Eckenrode single.

After Kingston/Forty Fort moved in front 2-1, Abington tied the game in the fifth when Tomachick’s single scored Lucas Deschaine, who had also singled.

Deschaine went 2-for-2.

Abington 9, Kingston/Forty Fort 2

Abington stuck to a proven recipe July 13 in the winners’ bracket final: Mash the ball, score a ton and dare their opponent to keep up.

Abington’s 13 total hits included six doubles and a home run, while three pitchers gave up just four combined hits the victory over Kingston/Forty Fort.

A five-run third inning put Abington in control.

Trailing 2-1, Vazquez led off the inning for Abington with a towering fly ball misplayed in the outfield, allowing the slugger to advance all the way to third.

Eckenrode singled him home to tie the game, opening the floodgates for Abington. Oliver Giroux singled in another run, Hillebrand brought one home on another defensive error from Kingston/Forty Fort and the District 17 champs added two more runs on wild pitches.

Abington added another run in the fourth inning and two more in the fifth, with Eckenrode launching a homer to left-center and Deschaine plating another run on a sacrifice fly.

Eckenrode and Giroux both had multi-hit games for Abington, as did Justin Johnson, Dylan Lyle and Patrick Keeler. Keeler drove in Abington’s first run with a double to the wall in the second inning.

Vasquez and Johnson combined for 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief with just one hit allowed between the two. Vazquez struck out five in 2 2/3 for the win.

Abington 12, Greater Pittston Township 0

Vazquez homered twice and drove in six runs, ending the game on a grand slam in the bottom of the fourth as Abington defeated Greater Pittston Township in the Section 5 opener July 12.

While Vazquez was mashing at the plate, Abington pitchers Lyle and Hizny combined for four no-hit innings, allowing just four walks total against seven strikeouts.

Abington struck quick in the home half of the first, Vazquez launching the first of his two homers to score himself and leadoff man James Kane to make it 2-0.

Abington tacked on two more in the second inning, and then blew the doors open in the fourth with eight runs.

Starting with Tomachick, who drew a one-out walk, seven straight Abington hitters reached base safely on a combination of walks and singles.

Vazquez added a single in between the two homers to make it a three-hit day. Hizny and Giroux each added two singles to boost the Abington lineup.

Lyle pitched the first three innings. Hizny struck out three in his one inning.

Abington 13, Moosic 0

Abington reached the Section 5 Tournament by winning the District 17 title with a 13-0 rout of Moosic July 5.

Vazquez struck out nine in four innings without allowing a walk and also gave the offense a boost with a three-run homer.

Deschaine went 2-for-2 driving in Johnson, who had doubled, with the game’s first run, then adding an RBI double later.