Neshaminy – the last SOL baseball team remaining – saw its season end in Friday’s PIAA 6A quarterfinal game.
PIAA Class 6A quarterfinals
#2-1 Hazleton 2, #1-5 Neshaminy 0
The Hazleton baseball team had quite a week.
All at the expense of two of the SOL’s top teams.
Four days after Hazleton’s Jonas Aponick brought an end to Central Bucks East’s season with a 1-0 three-hit shutout, Hazleton’s Antonio Doganiero did the same to Neshaminy, tossing a complete game three-hit shutout.
“Unfortunately, today we just ran into the guy on the mound,” Neshaminy coach Dan Toner said. “Hazelton’s pitcher was very effective…it was the first time we were shut out all season.”
Both Aponick (George Washington) and Doganiero (Pitt) are committed to take their talents to the Division 1 level. For both CB East and Neshaminy, it was the first time they’d been shut out this season.
The game certainly started on a promising note for the Redskins when Anthony Trommer lined Doganiero’s first pitch of the game to center field for a single. Trommer stole second, but Doganiero struck out the side.
In the second inning, Danny Nocito and Jake Plebani hit back-to-back one-out singles with Nocito advancing to third on Plebani’s single. Courtesy runner Riley Triano stole second, putting runners on second and third with one out. That’s where they were stranded as Doganiero struck out the next two batters he faced.
Doganiero retired seven in a row before issuing a two-out walk in the fourth. He issued a one-out walk in the fifth, but those were Neshaminy’s only baserunners the rest of the way.
Hazleton, meanwhile, scored a run in the fourth without collecting a hit when its leadoff batter was hit by a pitch, moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on a fielder’s choice.
In the bottom of the sixth, Hazleton capitalized on a pair of hits and an error to add an insurance run.
Luke Schweiker absorbed the loss, allowing one hit and one run while striking out five and walking one in 4.2 innings. Steven Martin threw the final inning and a third, allowing two hits and one run (unearned) while striking out one and walking one.
Neshaminy closed out its successful season with a 21-4 overall record. The Redskins won the SOL Patriot Division title with a 14-2 record.
“This season was incredibly rewarding for the entire program,” Toner said. “I can’t begin to explain how proud I am of all the players for the season they put together. “
Neshaminy 000 000 0 0-3-1
Hazleton 000 101 x 2-3-0
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