Kyle Peters and Brett Antolick combined on a two-hit shutout Monday as Hazleton Area advanced to the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 6A baseball quarterfinals with a 1-0 victory over Coatesville at the Mountain Top American Legion Field.
The win puts Hazleton Area into Thursday’s matchup with District 11 runner-up Emmaus, a 1-0 winner over District 1 champion Owen J. Roberts in another Monday first-round game.
Hazleton Area advanced a round further than last season by winning its 21st straight. The Cougars were unbeaten into the state tournament last season before losing to Lansdale North Penn, 3-1, on the same field.
Runs were again hard to come by Monday, but the Cougars broke through in the bottom of the fifth.
Peters reached on an error and sophomore Jonas Aponick, the ninth hitter in the order, drove in courtesy runner Richie Russo with a single.
After Peters held Coatesville scoreless on two hits through the fifth for the win, Antolick picked up the save. Antolick issued a walk in the seventh, but struck out the other three batters in the inning.
