North Pocono still has three Lackawanna League Division 1 baseball games remaining in four days, beginning Monday, but the Trojans have already put an end to the title race.
D.J. Silvestrini homered and drove in three runs Wednesday when the Trojans outslugged host Delaware Valley, 9-8, to maintain their status as the only District 2 baseball team with an unbeaten league record.
The victory, coupled with a 6-2 loss by second-place Abington Heights to Wallenpaupack on the same day gave North Pocono an insurmountable 3½-game lead in the standings.
Those outcomes also turned the final week of the regular season into a playoff tune-up and a chance to try to finish a perfect league season rather than the title battle it could have been with games against second- and third-place Abington Heights and Scranton Prep on consecutive days Wednesday and Thursday.
North Pocono boasts the district’s best overall record and longest winning streak, in addition to the 11-0 Division 1 record. The Trojans have won 12 straight and are 15-1 overall to lead the race for the top seed in the District 2-4 Class 5A Subregional playoffs.
Wednesday’s victory was just the second one-run game during the streak.
Delaware Valley took a 4-3 lead with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but North Pocono regained the lead in a wild fifth inning that ended with the Trojans in front, 9-7.
The Warriors scored again in the bottom of the seventh, but could not push across the tying run.
After Delaware Valley scored an unearned run, Jeremy Staples worked out of a bases-loaded jam for the save.
Silvestrini and Gavin Chillot, who doubled, each had two hits in the win.
Ty Lafave had a hit, drove in two runs and scored twice. Jake Reese also drove in two runs.
Keaton Phillips drove in four runs and Isaiah Berrios drove in three on two hits for Delaware Valley.
North Pocono benefited from Wallenpaupack’s Jake Holbert throwing a one-hitter and driving in two runs against Abington Heights.
Gannon Decker added two hits and scored twice.
Holbert allowed two unearned runs in the top of the first, but shut out Abington Heights the rest of the way. He walked two and struck out six.
Wallenpaupack scored in the bottom of the first, tied the game in the third, moved ahead in the fifth and took charge with three runs in the sixth.
Conner Griffin struck out 10 for Abington Heights.
