First Posted: 7/16/2014

Tunkhannock had a successful American Legion baseball season come to an end two games short of a Region 5 Tournament berth Tuesday night.

After going 12-4 to tie for second place in the Wyoming Valley League during the regular season, Tunkhannock went 2-2 in the league’s four-team playoff to determine a second regional qualifier behind unbeaten champion Swoyersville.

Tunkhannock was one of the last two teams standing in that battle but went into Tuesday night needing consecutive wins over Nanticoke to advance.

Ron Bugonovicz threw 2 2/3 innings of hitless relief and hit a three-run homer in the final inning Tuesday as Nanticoke put an end to Tunkhannock’s season with a 5-1 victory.

Tunkhannock was trying to win its first tournament title in the Wyoming Valley League, but Nanticoke spoiled that.

Nanticoke downed Tunkhannock, 8-2, in the tournament’s first round July 12. Sean Soltysiak went 2-for-3 with a double, scored the first run and drove in the second for Tunkhannock in the loss.

Tunkhannock bounced back the next two days, eliminating Plains, 4-3, and Greater Pittston, 3-1, to set up its rematch with Nanticoke.

Plains, which had finished tied for second with Tunkhannock, during the regular season was ahead until a big finish.

Tunkhannock scored twice in the sixth to pull out the win while Tyler Weiss did not allow a hit over the final 2 2/3 after giving up nine in the first 4 1/3 innings.

Ryan Weiss led the offense, going 2-for-2 with a triple, run and RBI.

Cody Brown’s two-run double did the damage when Tunkhannock again scored the winning run in the sixth inning of its game against defending regional champion Greater Pittston Monday.

Brown also started a triple play from his shortstop position on the same play that Greater Pittston scored its only run in the fourth inning. With the bases loaded, Brown fielded a grounder and threw to second baseman Lance Ceccarelli, who relayed to Ryan Weiss at first base. Weiss then fired home to Ryan Sick to retire Jake Granteed attempting to come in from second base with another run.

Josh McClain threw a four-hitter in the win.

McClain, Brown, Lance Sherry and Bobby Gilpin each had two hits.

Sherry then had a single, double and the team’s only RBI in the final game. Sick had Tunkhannock’s other two hits.

Tunkhannock finished 6-17 in Junior Legion play.

All three Back Mountain teams ended the season with losing records. The Senior team went 4-12 to finish sixth of eight teams. The Junior team was 7-17 to place seventh of nine teams. The Prep team was last of three with a 2-7 record.