Lackawanna League baseball is back!
After the 2020 season was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic, league play opened Monday with eight games. Two games — Lakeland at Old Forge and Honesdale at Delaware Valley — were rescheduled for Tuesday. Dunmore at Carbondale Area is moved to a later date TBD in the season.
Monday’s scores:
DIVISION I
Abington Heights 8, Scranton Prep 1
Valley View 12, Scranton 4
DIVISION III
Riverside 7, Holy Cross 0
Western Wayne 6, Mid Valley 5
DIVISION IV
Elk Lake 9, Forest City 2
Mountain View 13, Lackawanna Trail 5
Blue Ridge 15, Susquehanna 5
CROSSOVER
Wallenpaupack 7, West Scranton 2
Number of the day — 0
That’s the amount of runs Riverside has allowed in its first four games, spanning 23 innings. The Vikings have defeated Northwest Area, 16-0 (4 inn); Pine Grove, 4-0; Mountain View, 10-0 (5); and Holy Cross, 7-0.
Junior R.J. Santarsiero has led the way, getting wins against Northwest and Holy Cross. His combined totals are 9IP, 5H, 0R, 3BB, 11K. Senior Zach Day (5IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 9K) earned the victory against Pine Grove. Sophomore Anthony Karpinski is a combined 6IP, 1H, 0R, 4BB, 11K and senior Jeffrey Higgins is a combined 3IP, 2H, 0R, 1BB, 2K.
Batting line of the day
Ryan Cesarini, Valley View vs. Scranton
5AB 2R 3H 2RBI
Pitching line of the day
Scott Gilbert, Abington Heights vs. Scranton Prep
5IP, 2H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 14K. 74 pitches, 51 strikes
In the big inning …
Mountain View had the distinction of scoring the most runs in one inning Monday. The Eagles put up eight in the top of the first in their victory over Lackawanna Trail.
Up next
Thursday is the next full Lackawanna League schedule. Among the highlights is the matchup between inter-city rivals Scranton and West Scranton at Battaglia-Cawley Field. Last time these teams met was May 21, 2019, in the first round of the District 2-4 Class 6A Subregional. West Scranton won, 2-1, in 11 innings. The game was scoreless for the first nine innings. Each team scored a run in the 10th inning before the Invaders won it in the bottom of the 11th on a RBI double by now-senior catcher Billy James.
Also on tap in Division III is a pair of 1-0 teams in Western Wayne at Riverside.
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During more than 30 years at The Times-Tribune, Scott has covered everything from high schools to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. His current beats include motor sports, local colleges, high school cross country and high school baseball. He also is a copy editor and page designer. His articles have won awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors, American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Eastern Motorsports Press Association, the Society of Professional Journalists Keystone Pro Chapter and the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association Keystone Press. He also has been honored by the Atlantic Collegiate Baseball League and the Minor League Football Alliance. In 2016, he was presented the Media Service Award by the Northeastern Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. A Long Island, New York, native, Scott graduated from the University of Scranton in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in communications. He lives in Peckville with his wife, Andrea, and daughters, Bridget and Emily. Contact him at swalsh@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9100, x5109; or @swalshTT on Twitter
