Swisher’s hit backs RailRiders shutout over Durham

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Kingston, Forty Fort swimming pools provide respite from heat for community members

<p>EDWARDSVILLE &#8212; Finally, yes finally, it appeared Williamsport was going to break through against Hazleton Area.</p><p>But as it&#8217;s been in the past, Hazleton Area never let it happen.</p><p>Pitcher Celine Podlesney settled in after a couple shaky innings and Hazleton Area scratched out a pair of runs to defeat Williamsport 2-0 at Wilkes University for the District 2-4 Class 4A softball tournament championship.</p><p>Hazleton Area (17-0 WVC/playoffs, 20-1 overall) will be off until Monday. The Cougars will play the District 3 runner-up, either Penn Manor (22-3) or Chambersburg (21-4), in the first round of the PIAA Class 4A state playoffs. Those teams play Thursday for the D3-4A championship.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s been such a blessing to win basketball and softball this year,&#8221; said Hazleton Area senior shortstop Mackenzie Yori, whose defense helped keep Williamsport off the board. &#8220;This has been such a goal of ours from the beginning of the season, especially for the seniors and myself. To win four in a row, it&#8217;s such an amazing ride. All the girls I&#8217;ve played with, it&#8217;s been something special.&#8221;</p><p>Williamsport (12-9) saw its season end the same way it has the previous three years, with a loss to Hazleton Area. The Millionaires were shut out for the third time by the Cougars in the title game. The only runs they produced in that four-year span came in a 15-2 setback for the 2014 championship.</p><p>&#8220;It came down to the games we won (this year) we came up with the key hit,&#8221; Williamsport coach Quint Bower said. &#8220;We just couldn&#8217;t come up with the key hit today. We had our opportunities in the first three innings. I think we stranded five in first three innings.&#8221;</p><p>Williamsport had its first two batters reach in the first only to have Podlesney retire the next three. It had first-and-second with one out in the second, but couldn&#8217;t score. And McKenzie Tebbs was left at second base after a two-out double in the third.</p><p>Hazleton Area was doing much of the same in the first three innings, getting runners on but not getting them home. The Cougars finally broke the scoreless tie with a bit of good fortune in the fourth.</p><p>Taylor Kost led off the fourth with a towering pop in front of the pitcher&#8217;s circle. Williamsport pitcher Mikayla Aldenderfer camped under the ball, but it hit off her glove and rolled to the backstop. Kost was able to scurry to second base. Taylor Kaschak moved Kost to second with a bunt single, and Kost scored on a groundout by Jess Bernotas.</p><p>Another bounce off a Williamsport glove produced another Hazleton Area run in the fifth. Rebecca Rossi and Megan Trivelpiece opened the inning with a single to put runners on the corners. The two tried to pull off a double-steal, but Rossi got caught in a rundown and tagged out at home. Trivelpiece dashed to third on the play, which left Rossi hurt and wearing a sling on her right arm after the game.</p><p>Hope Kinney then rocketed a liner to the left side that ricocheted off the glove of Williamsport third baseman Skyler Colarusso and scored Trivelpiece.</p><p>&#8220;I actually thought it was going through,&#8221; Kinney said. &#8220;She put her glove out there, but I was like &#8216;Wow, I got the hit. I got the run in there.&#8217; But it&#8217;s about my team. You have Megan on third base, you got to bring her in.&#8221;</p><p>Two runs were enough for Podlesney. She gave up a single to start the fourth before retiring nine in a row. Williamsport managed to get a runner to third with two outs in the seventh, but Podlesney ended the game with her sixth strikeout.</p><p>&#8220;It was clutch,&#8221; said Hazleton Area coach Heather Dale, who played on the Cougars&#8217; district championship teams in 2005 and 2006. &#8220;That&#8217;s pretty much Celine in one word. She&#8217;s clutch. That&#8217;s all I can say.&#8221;</p><p><strong>NOTES:</strong> Hazleton Area&#8217;s four consecutive district titles have come under three coaches &#8212; Dale (2016), Adrienne Rebarchak (2015) and Vince Trivelpiece (2014, 2013). &#8230; Although nothing has been set, Hazleton Area could be back at Wilkes for its state opener. The Cougars have opened states there the past three years. &#8230; Either Hazleton Area or Williamsport has played for the D2-4 Class 4A subregional title since the PIAA went to four classifications in softball in 2005. &#8230;</p><p>Lackawanna Trail defeated Old Forge 6-0 Tuesday to win the D2-A championship. &#8230; Holy Redeemer head coach Jerry Paulukonis and assistant John Bryan were at the game. Redeemer plays Mid Valley at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Wilkes for the D2-2A crown.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Jess Bernotas, left, and Taylor Kost, right, give high-fives to Hazleton Area coach Heather Dale after Kost scored in the fourth inning of Tuesday&#8217;s District 2-4 Class 4A championship game at Wilkes University. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Jess Bernotas, left, and Taylor Kost, right, give high-fives to Hazleton Area coach Heather Dale after Kost scored in the fourth inning of Tuesday&#8217;s District 2-4 Class 4A championship game at Wilkes University. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area shortstop Mackenzie Yori throws the ball to third baseman Jess Bernotas to force out Williamsport&#8217;s Skyler Colarusso in the second inning Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball2.jpg</photo1><caption1>Hazleton Area shortstop Mackenzie Yori throws the ball to third baseman Jess Bernotas to force out Williamsport&#8217;s Skyler Colarusso in the second inning Tuesday. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area&#8217;s Celine Podlesney pitches against Williamsport on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball3.jpg</photo2><caption2>Hazleton Area&#8217;s Celine Podlesney pitches against Williamsport on Tuesday. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area second baseman Taylor Kaschak drops a flyball to shallow right during Tuesday&#8217;s game with Williamsport. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball4.jpg</photo3><caption3>Hazleton Area second baseman Taylor Kaschak drops a flyball to shallow right during Tuesday&#8217;s game with Williamsport. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area&#8217;s Mackenzie Yori cheers a teammate batting against Williamsport on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball5.jpg</photo4><caption4>Hazleton Area&#8217;s Mackenzie Yori cheers a teammate batting against Williamsport on Tuesday. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball6.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Hazleton Area softball players meet at the mound before their game against Williamsport on Tuesday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_TTL0601116Haz-softball6.jpg</photo5><caption5>Hazleton Area softball players meet at the mound before their game against Williamsport on Tuesday. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Cougars win fourth consecutive D2-4 4A title</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By John Erzar</p><p>jerzar@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>District 2 Class 4A</strong></p><p><strong>Softball Champions</strong></p><p>2016 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2015 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2014 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2013 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2012 &#8211; Hazleton Area*</p><p>2011 &#8211; Wallenpaupack*</p><p>2010 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2009 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2008 &#8211; Delaware Valley</p><p>2007 &#8211; Wyo. Valley West*</p><p>2006 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>2005 &#8211; Hazleton Area</p><p>* - Lost to Williamsport in D2-4 subregional title game</p></factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Hazleton Area does it again