Abington Heights’ Marley Sarafinko slides underneath Patriots catcher Ava Callahan before the throw to the plate to score the first run of Tuesday night’s district title game at Wilkes.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Abington Heights second baseman Lindsey Tasker (3) scoops a grounder off of Pittston Area’s Ava Callahan for an out.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Abington Heights players celebrate after holding off a seventh-inning rally by defending state champ Pittston Area in the Class 5A district title game.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Abington Heights’ Marley Sarafinko (13) makes contact before legging out an infield hit against Pittston Area Tuesday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
Abington Heights starting pitcher Lauren Stalica (27) tossed a complete game, striking out eight for the win on Tuesday.
Tony Callaio | For Times Leader
EDWARDSVILLE — The defending district, subregional and state champions were not about to go down without a fight.
On a night when it had just four runners through six innings, Pittston Area scored its only runner, moved the tying run into scoring position, got the winning run on base and returned to the top of the order.
None of that mattered to Lauren Stalica.
Stalica ended the rally with her eighth strikeout of the night to lift Abington Heights to a 2-1 victory in the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional championship game at Wilkes University.
After getting the Comets into the final by hitting two home runs and serving as the winning pitcher against rival West Scranton, Stalica retired the first 11 Pittston Area batters. By the time a Patriot reached base in Stalica’s six-hitter, Abington Heights already had the lead.
The second-seeded Comets had the leadoff batters reach and score in the fourth and fifth innings, then held on.
Pittston Area got its first runner into scoring position in the bottom of the fifth, another in the sixth, then three in the seventh.
In their final inning as defending champions, the Patriots scored one of those runners, lost another who was thrown out on the bases and had the last one stranded by Stalica’s strikeout.
“It was tough,” Abington Heights coach John Kelly said. “Pittston’s a class team. They won the state last year. You know they’re not going to give up without a fight.”
Marina Antal led off the bottom of the seventh with a single through the right side.
Sam Herbert reached on an error.
Pittston Area tried to bunt the runners into scoring position, but as the fielders rotated, pinch hitter Grace Callahan placed the bunt in the spot vacated by second baseman Lindsay Tasker.
As the ball died near Tasker’s normal position, Antal raced all the way around the score and Callahan was easily safe at first.
Herbert, trailing Antal on the bases, hesitated briefly after rounding second, then headed for third. Tasker recovered, got to the ball and threw across the diamond to erase the runner for the first out.
“We made a mistake and opened the door and our second baseman made a heckuva play to throw that runner out at third,” Kelly said. “That was huge.
“That won the game.”
There, however, was still work to be done by the Comets.
After a foul popup and a walk made it two on with two out, Stalica ended the game.
Stalica also helped open the scoring.
Marley Sarafinko and Stalica had consecutive singles to being the top of the fourth.
The runners advanced on a groundout and Riley Knott squeezed in Sarafinko to open the scoring.
Tasker singled in a run with two outs after an error had put the first runner on in the fifth.
Gianna Adams struck out 10 while allowing six hits and just one earned run for the Patriots.
District 2-4 Class 5A championship
Abington Heights 2, Pittston Area 1
Abington Heights`AB`R`H`BI
Tasker 2b`4`0`1`1
Sarafinko ss`4`1`1`0
Stalica p`2`0`1`0
O’Malley cr-pr`0`0`0`0
Stiles rf`3`0`0`0
Knott c`2`0`0`1
McDonald lf`3`0`1`0
Stafursky dp`3`1`1`0
Kresge fx-cf-pr`0`0`0`0
Notari 1b`2`0`0`0
Wilmot 3b`3`0`1`0
Totals`22`2`6`2
Pittston Area`AB`R`H`BI
Booth cf`4`0`1`0
Giardina 2b`3`0`0`0
Adams p`3`0`1`0
ACallahan c`3`0`0`0
Antal lf`3`1`1`0
Herbert ss`3`0`1`0
Mehal dp`2`0`1`0
LHintze fx-rf-pr`0`0`0`0
GCallahan ph`1`0`1`1
Gorzkowski 1b`3`0`0`0
Mihalka 3b`2`0`0`0
Totals`27`1`6`1
Abington Heights`000`110`0 — 2
Pittston Area`000`000`1 — 1
2B — Stafursky.
Abington Heights`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Stalica W`7`6`1`1`8
Pittston Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Adams L`7`6`2`1`1`10
