Apr. 4—KINGSTON — Coming off an atypical offensive performance — albeit against one of the top pitchers in the conference — Dallas needed to make a statement Thursday afternoon.
The Mountaineers did so in the first inning against Wyoming Valley West. They pounded four extra-base hits and scored five runs on the way to an 11-1 Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 win in five innings.
Zach Williams led the assault with a three-run double. Jude Nocito started it with a lead-off double. Kaden Coyne hit a laser for a double and Connor Healey did the same for an RBI triple.
The four first-inning hits were three more than Dallas (1-1 Div. 1, 2-2 overall) had two days earlier against Wilkes-Barre Area ace James Bottger in an 11-0 five-inning loss.
"We didn't play well the other day," Dallas coach Mike Viglone said. "We're a better team than we showed. We did face a good pitcher the other day. They came in and wanted this win."
The 5-0 cushion was more than enough for Dallas starter Dom Zangardi. The junior lefty gave up a walk to D'Vonte Rivers to start the first and an RBI double to Damien Eastman two outs later.
"That really helped," Zangardi said of the five-run start. "We came off a game that was a tough loss, so we really had to pick it up. Our bats picked it up in that first inning and that really helped us out."
After that, Zangardi surrendered two singles — both to freshman Max Mylet — and finished with 10 strikeouts.
"My change-up was really good today," Zangardi said. "I located my fastball. It just felt really good."
Dallas bumped its lead to 7-1 in the fourth. Williams and Jack Dale started the inning with walks. Kevin Osipower, running for Williams, eventually scored on a groundout by Zangardi. Coyne's RBI single brought Dale across the plate.
The Mountaineers tacked on four more runs in the fifth to make it 11-1. Jack Leandri and Brody Youngblood ripped singles up the middle. Dylan Geskey walked to load the bases and Williams walked to force in a run.
Dale plated a run with a sac fly to center and Zangardi doubled into the left-center gap for the final two runs.
Zangardi worked a 1-2-3 fifth to end the game by the 10-run rule.
SCHEDULE NOTE: Although the District 2 website has Dallas playing Tunkhannock on Friday, that game was cancelled due to a scheduling glitch. Dallas next plays at 2 p.m. Saturday against Crestwood at PNC Field in Moosic, weather permitting.
Dallas 11, Wyoming Valley West 1 (5 inn.)
Dallas'AB'R'H'BI
Nocito lf'3'2'1'0
Zangardi p'4'0'1'3
Coyne dh'4'1'3'1
Reeves cf'0'0'0'0
Healey ss'3'1'1'1
Leandri 2b'2'2'1'0
B.Youngblood c'2'0'1'0
Mizzer cr'0'2'0'0
Geskey rf'2'1'0'0
Williams 1b'1'0'1'4
Osipower pr'0'1'0'0
Dale 3b'1'1'0'1
Totals'22'11'9'10
Valley West'AB'R'H'BI
Rivers ss'2'1'0'0
Stevens 2b'3'0'0'0
Ruddy rf'2'0'0'0
Eastman 3b'2'0'1'1
Giza 1b'2'0'0'0
Dubaskas dh'2'0'0'0
Fine p'0'0'0'0
Klem p'0'0'0'0
Taveras p'0'0'0'0
Mylet lf'2'0'2'0
Fetko cf'2'0'0'0
Craig c'2'0'0'0
Totals'19'1'3'1
Dallas'500'24 — 11
Valley West'100'00 — 1
2B — Nocito, Zangardi, Coyne, Williams, Eastman. 3B — ...
