By Tom Robinson, NEPASportsNation.com
HUGHESTOWN – J.J. Hood threw a three-hitter and hit a two-run homer Thursday while earning the first Joe Agolino Sr. Award as Most Valuable Player of the Wyoming Area-Pittston Area baseball game after leading the Warriors to a 5-2 victory in the Battle of the Bridge, which served as the regular-season finale for both teams.
Wyoming Area already had a 2-0 lead when Hood launched a two-run homer in the top of the fourth inning.
“It was a fastball on a 2-0 count,” Hood said. “He came to me.”
Hood showed off his pitching abilities while striking out six and walking two.
The junior has already given his verbal commitment to play on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I level at the University of Connecticut.
“He’s one of the best players in the league and, in my opinion, the best pitcher hands down,” Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli said.
Evan Melberger singled in two runs in the third inning to open the scoring, then tripled and scored on a Jake Kelleher single in the fifth.
Jack Mathis, Melberger, Kelleher and Hood all had two hits in the game.
P.J. Pisano doubled, singled and scored one of the runs for Pittston Area. The Patriots scored twice in the sixth after falling behind, 2-0.
