Tori Para threw a four-hitter and drove in two runs Friday as Pittston Area defeated visiting Tunkhannock, 5-2, to take sole possession of first place in Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 softball.
Para, coming off a four-inning, one-hitter in her previous outing, walked two and struck out one. She homered and scored twice.
Pittston Area handed Tunkhannock its only WVC loss last season while finishing a game behind the first-place Lady Tigers, who went on to a District 2 title and Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association state championship game appearance in Class 4A.
The Lady Patriots took over sole possession of the lead in a loaded Division 1, improving to 4-0 in the WVC and 6-0 overall.
Tunkhannock (3-1, 4-2) dropped into a third-place tie behind Dallas (3-0, 3-1) and even with Hazleton Area (3-1, 3-1).
Pittston Area scored three times in the bottom of the first and added runs in the second and fourth for a 5-0 lead. Tunkhannock fought back with runs in the fifth and sixth.
Ava Callahan singled, doubled and drove in three runs for Pittston Area. Sage Weidlich was 2-for-3 with a run scored. Kallie Booth also had a double.
Paige Marabell and MacKenzie Hannon doubled and drove in runs for Tunkhannock. Kaya Hannon doubled and scored.
Weidlich singled with one out in the first. Para was hit by a pitch and Bella Giardina walked to load the bases.
Callahan’s double cleared the bases for the 3-0 lead.
Wildness hurt Tunkhannock in the second. After three Lady Patriots were hit by pitches, Para drew a bases-loaded walk for a 4-0 lead.
Para homered with two out in the fourth.
Tunkhannock’s Ella McNeff reached on a two-out error in the fifth and scored when Marabell followed with a double.
Kaya Hannon doubled with one out in the sixth and scored on MacKenzie Hannon’s double.
Jocelyn Williams and Marissa Giordano drove in five runs each as Wyoming Area routed Hanover Area, 23-4 in four innings in WVC Division 2 in the only other game.
Kayla Gist’s three-run homer helped Hanover Area take a 4-0 lead after one inning.
Wyoming Area sandwiched nine runs each in the second and fourth innings around a five-run third inning. Williams, who had three hits and three runs scored, had a grand slam.
Winning pitcher Kayla Leo had two hits and scored three times.
BOYS LACROSSE
Delaware Valley and Abington Heights pulled out one-goal WVC victories.
Xander Kelly had the game-winner as Delaware Valley escaped from a wild fourth quarter to hand Wyoming Seminary its first loss, 10-9.
Abington Heights got a goal from freshman Evan Davis in the second overtime to defeat North Pocono, 6-5.
Wyoming Seminary led 2-1 after one quarter and the teams were tied, 3-3, at halftime.
Delaware Valley took a 7-5 lead into the fourth quarter where the teams combined for seven goals.
Paul Weinrich finished with four goals to lead the Warriors. Peyton LaRocco and Xander Kelly added two goals each. Owen Kelly, who had two assists, and Brady Quinn had a goal each.
Connor Gaughan made 16 saves.
Xavier Beaulac led Wyoming Seminary with three goals and an assist.
Matt Swartz and Jack Herron added two goals and an assist each. Jack Hagins also scored.
Quinn Kelly made 19 saves in the loss.
Delaware Valley (5-1, 6-2) used the win to move into sole possession of second-place, 1½ games behind Crestwood.
Wyoming Seminary (4-1, 5-2) slipped into a third-place tie with Lake-Lehman in the 13-team league.
Xander Davis scored twice for Abington Heights, which broke a four-game losing streak to improve to 3-4 in the WVC and 3-5 overall.
Colin Price had a goal and an assist, Austin Boersma and Kohen Stiles scored goals and P.T. Cutrufello had two assists.
Wyatt Carper had 10 saves.
Danny Smith scored three goals and Will Soma had two for North Pocono, which got two assists from Jon Fisher.
Robert Dieckman made 14 saves for the Trojans (1-4, 2-5).
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
WVC leader Tunkhannock took a break from its conference schedule to sweep North Pocono in three sets and improve District 2’s best overall record to 8-0.
