The Pittston Patriots will square off against the Greater Nanticoke Area Trojans at 4:15 p.m. on Friday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Pittston has 13 straight victories, Greater Nanticoke Area has four straight defeats), but none of that matters once you're on the field.
On Wednesday, Pittston made easy work of Crestwood and carried off an 11-1 win. The Patriots might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won ten contests by seven runs or more this season.
Silvio Giardina was a major factor while hitting and pitching. He tossed two innings while giving up no earned runs off one hit. Giardina was also big at the plate, going 2-for-4 with two runs and one stolen base.
In other pitching news, TJ Johnson tossed a big game, not allowing a single earned run over five innings pitched. He has been consistent: he hasn't given up more than one earned run any time he's pitched this season.
Back at the plate, the team relied heavily on Elijah Barr, who got on base in four of his five plate appearances with two RBI, one run, and one double. What's more, he posted two hits, the most he's had since back in March. Nick Innamorati was another key player, getting on base in two of his four plate appearances with two runs and one stolen base.
Meanwhile, Greater Nanticoke Area fell victim to Hazleton Area and their airtight pitching crew on Wednesday. They came up short against the Cougars, falling 14-0.
Pittston's victory was their fifth straight on the road, which pushed their record up to 13-0. Those road wins came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 11.8 runs over those games. As for Greater Nanticoke Area, their loss dropped their record down to 2-11.
Greater Nanticoke Area's pitching crew has a crucial task ahead of them: Pittston has been making plenty of contact this season, having averaged 10 hits per game. It's a different story for Greater Nanticoke Area, though, as they've been averaging 9 hits. Given Pittston's sizable advantage in that area, the Trojans will need to find a way to close that gap.
Pittston took their victory against Greater Nanticoke Area in their previous meeting last Tuesday by a conclusive 17-0 score. Do the Patriots have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Trojans turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.
