Local team defeated in Section 5 Junior Little League Baseball final

By Tom Robinson

For Dallas Post

Back Mountain catcher C.J. Cercone, left, tags out Abington American’s Joey Barcia at the plate in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship at Schautz Memorial Stadium in Dunmore.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_DP_Back-Mtn-Abington-LLBB_1.jpg.optimal.jpgBack Mountain catcher C.J. Cercone, left, tags out Abington American’s Joey Barcia at the plate in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship at Schautz Memorial Stadium in Dunmore.

Back Mountain shortstop Nick Kachur throws to first as the second base umpire ducks out of the way in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship game against Abington American.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_DP_Back-Mtn-Abington-LLBB_2.jpg.optimal.jpgBack Mountain shortstop Nick Kachur throws to first as the second base umpire ducks out of the way in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship game against Abington American.

Back Mountain starter Alex Kapral delivers a pitch against Abington American in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship game in Dunmore.
https://www.mydallaspost.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/web1_DP_Back-Mtn-Abington-LLBB_3.jpg.optimal.jpgBack Mountain starter Alex Kapral delivers a pitch against Abington American in the Section 5 Little League Junior championship game in Dunmore.

DUNMORE – Two brilliantly turned, inning-ending double plays were not nearly enough for Back Mountain to hold back the offense produced by unbeaten Abington American.

Abington produced hits in all six of its at-bats July 25 at Schautz Stadium while ending Back Mountain’s season in the Section 5 Junior Little League Baseball final, 9-2.

“They hit some balls in the gaps,” Back Mountain manager Anton Kachur said after Abington pulled away by putting together 12 hits, including four doubles, three of which drove in runs. “There’s nothing you can do about it. That’s baseball.”

Back Mountain scored runs in the first and last innings, but it was not enough.

Aiden Messett went the distance for Abington, allowing six singles, but three of them did not come until there were two out in the seventh inning and he was working with an eight-run lead.

“He was always around the zone,” Kachur said. “He had us swinging early.”

Nick Kachur went 3-for-4 for half the Back Mountain hits from the second spot in the order and leadoff hitter C.J. Cercone scored both runs.

“Defensively, they were very solid,” Anton Kachur said. “Even when we did get runners on, they made the plays.”

Back Mountain made some, as well.

A game that included its share of defensive miscues also had several outstanding plays.

Back Mountain turned a 1-3-2 double play to keep a one-run lead in the first inning and a 1-2-3 double play to help avoid the 10-run rule.

Starting pitcher Alex Kapral froze the runner at third and threw to Ian Evans at first base. Evans quickly relayed home and Cercone applied the tag just in time to end the first, the only inning in which Abington did not score.

Abington had the bases loaded, two runs already in and an 8-1 lead in the fifth inning when reliever Mark Roginski fielded a ball back to the mound and threw home for the force that started another double play.

Back Mountain recovered from an opening loss to win two straight games in the elimination bracket of the four-team tournament. It arrived at Saturday’s final needing back-to-back wins on the same day to claim the title.

Cercone and Darren Kerdesky each had two hits in the 12-4 loss to Green Ridge.

Back Mountain defeated South Wilkes-Barre, 9-6, and Green Ridge, 12-11.

Kapral did a bit of everything in the first win. He was the winning pitcher, drove in two runs and scored the game-winner.

Roginski, who drove in two runs, and Nick Kachur, who scored two, each had two hits. Kerdesky had a two-run double.

Michael Collins and Kerdesky also pitched in the game.

Kerdesky was the winning pitcher, drove in the winning run and went 2-for-3 in the rematch with Green Ridge.

Roginski and Patrick Zarola had two hits and an RBI each. Cercone also had two hits.

Back Mountain managed the win by putting together seven runs in the fifth inning.

“I’m proud of our guys,” Anton Kachur said. “They battled.”

Section 5 10-11 Baseball

Back Mountain opened with an 11-1 win over host Archbald July 23, but losses the next two nights eliminated it from the tournament.

Chris Killian had a double and single in the win while winning pitcher Mike Murray was among those with hits.

Eventual champion Abington National topped Back Mountain, 10-0, before Mountain Top provided the knockout, 11-2.

Section 5 9-10 Softball

Back Mountain had its season come to an end July 23 with a 10-0 loss to Archbald in the final.

Coming out of the elimination bracket, Back Mountain needed two straight wins over unbeaten Archbald to take the title, but Archbald won in the first matchup.

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