Dallas City News

DALLAS TWP. — JJ Rischawy did it again.

For the second consecutive year, Rischawy delivered the game-winning hit in the bottom of the seventh in the District 2 Class 4A baseball semifinals. This time, his single to right field gave the Mountaineers a 6-5 walk-off win over Wyoming Area on Wednesday.

Dallas (18-4) will play Scranton Prep (12-8) at 6 p.m. Sunday at PNC Field in Moosic for the championship. The winner gets a state spot, while the loser plays the District 10 runner-up on May 30 for a state berth.

“We’re going there to win the championship,” Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. “We didn’t want to worry about if you lose, well there’s another game. We want to win it.”

Rischawy gave Dallas a 3-2 win against Prep in last year’s D2-4A semifinals with a single to right. The opponent was different, but the result was the same.

“JJ is the guy you want in there in those situations,” Viglone said. “And he delivers almost the same exact hit that he delivered (against Prep). It’s incredible.”

Connor Healey doubled with one out and Dom Zangardi followed with a walk. A fielder’s choice sent Healey to third and then Rischawy looped a single just inside the right-field foul line to end the game.

“You got to go up there with a clear mind,” Rischawy said. “Yeah, there’s pressure, but you have to go up there with a clear mind. I did the same thing last year. This one means more because I’m a senior, but it’s awesome.”

Wyoming Area had tied the score 5-5 in the top of the seventh by scoring twice. Mitchell Rusinchak reached on an error. Jacob Snyder then lined out, but the throw to double off Rusinchak was wild, and he went to third base. Pinch hitter Noah Smith ripped a double into the left-center gap to move the Warriors within 5-4.

Matt Rusinchak re-entered the game at second in place of Smith. And has been a trademark all season, Wyoming Area found an unorthodox way to tie the score. A wild pitch ricocheted high off Dallas catcher Gavin Adamski and landed near the third-base dugout. Dallas was unable to locate the ball and Matt Rusinchak scored from second base.

The Warriors took a 3-0 lead in the third, once again utilizing all measures available. Mitchell Rusinchak walked and eventually scored on a balk. Snyder reached on a sacrifice bunt, moved to second on another bunt, to third on a balk and home on a wild pitch. Brady Noone’s sacrifice fly knocked the other run.

However, Wyoming Area also had two runners thrown out at the plate. Dallas center fielder Kayden Coyne threw a perfect strike to nail a Warrior tagging up in the third inning. Another was thrown out in the fourth attempting to score on a squeeze bunt.

Dallas came back with five runs in the fifth, sending 11 batters to the plate. The Mountaineers were resourceful as well. They used five walks, an error, a sacrifice bunt and two RBI hits to score. Coyne had an RBI single and Dom Zangardi blooped an opposite-field double down the left-field line to score the final two runs.

“We’re a young team that got better throughout the season,” said Wyoming Area coach Rob Lemoncelli, whose team started the season at 0-5. “We got a bunch of scrappers, a bunch of fighters over there. We came in not afraid, ready to go toe-to-toe with them.

“I couldn’t be more proud how my guys played against the state runner-up last year and another state contender this year.”

District 2 Class 4A Semifinals

Dallas 6, Wyoming Area 5

Wyoming Area`AB`R`H`BI

Snyder p-rf`3`1`0`0

Ma.Rusinchak rf-lf`3`1`0`0

Smith ph`1`0`1`1

Fath 2b`3`1`0`0

Vacula dh`3`0`2`0

Yatsko 3b`0`0`0`0

Noone ss`3`0`1`1

Layland c`3`0`0`0

Donati cr`0`0`0`0

Rogish lf`2`0`1`0

Carlin p`1`0`0`0

Speicher 1b`3`0`1`0

Mi.Rusinchak cf`3`2`0`0

Totals`28`5`6`2

Dallas`AB`R`H`BI

Coyne cf`3`1`2`1

Paczewski p-ss`3`1`1`0

Adamski c`4`1`0`0

Geskey 1b`3`1`0`0

Healey ss-p`4`1`1`0

Zangardi rf`3`0`1`2

Tinner dh`2`0`0`0

Dale 3b`0`0`0`0

Rischawy lf`1`1`1`1

Leandri 2b`2`0`0`0

Totals`25`6`6`4

Wyoming Area`oo3`ooo`2 — 5

Dallas`000`050`1 — 6

2B — Smith Coyne, Paczewski, Healey, Zangardi. 3B — Speicher.

Wyoming Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Snyder`4.1`3`5`3`6`3

Carlin (L)`2.1`3`1`1`2`2

Dallas`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Paczewski`6.1`6`5`3`1`3

Healey (W)`0.2`0`0`0`1`0