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Girls testify about sex abuse by Pennsylvania man who got them as ‘gift’

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Beyond the Byline: Tackling the Spartan Beast

EDWARDSVILLE &#8212; As well as Hope Jones was pitching for Tunkhannock on Thursday, it was time for Kendra Schultz to take over.The strategy has worked most of the season and it did again in the District 2 Class 4A softball championship game at Wilkes University.Schultz pitched three perfect innings of relief to back Jones&#8217; three-hit effort as the Tigers defeated Wyoming Area 3-0 for their first district championship since 1999.&#8220;It&#8217;s usually a certain inning where the other team might be in their lineup,&#8221; Tunkhannock coach Bob Hegedty said. &#8220;We want Kendra to come in and get comfortable. But it&#8217;s feel thing more than anything. I talk to the pitching coaches and see what&#8217;s working better for the different girls and the different pitches.&#8221;Just about everything was working for the Jones-Schultz duo as Wyoming Area (10-8) was shut out for the first time this season.&#8220;Hats off to Tunkhannock,&#8221; said Wyoming Area coach John McNeil, whose team was trying to get the program&#8217;s first district championship since 1981. &#8220;We didn&#8217;t play well in spots. We didn&#8217;t hit the ball like we should have.&#8221;Wyoming Area, though, will continue on as District 2&#8217;s second seed in the PIAA Class 4A playoffs. The Warriors will play District 11 champion Bangor (21-1) on Monday. Tunkhannock (13-4) plays D4 champion Shikellamy (14-8).Kari Melberger had two of Wyoming Area&#8217;s three hits, but was stranded at second in the second and fourth innings. Jess Parente had the other hit when she opened the fourth with a single, but she was erased on a fielder&#8217;s choice.The fourth inning was Wyoming Area&#8217;s best chance at scoring as Kristi Skok got to third and Melberger was at second with one out. Hope Jones, though, struck out the final two batters she faced before giving way to Schultz.Schultz recorded two strikeouts and seven pop-outs to end the game.&#8220;I knew my defense had my back and they always come in clutch,&#8221; Schultz said. &#8220;They&#8217;re always giving me the best pep talks and they&#8217;re always making the plays when I need them to. I had a good mindset. It was awesome.&#8221;Tunkhannock took a 1-0 lead in the third. Hailey Farr opened the inning with a single to left and moved to second on Jenn Bulford&#8217;s sacrifice bunt. An out later, she scored on an error on Faith Jones&#8217; flyball.Farr added a two-run single in the fourth to boost the advantage to 3-0. Jena Simmons and Sarah Traver walked earlier and scored on the drive to center field.&#8220;Hailey hasn&#8217;t been hitting much this year,&#8221; Hegedty said. &#8220;She was in a little bit of a slump. But what we&#8217;ve been seeing in practices and some of our live practice scrimmages she was really getting back out of that slump. We got her back in the lineup and, boy, she&#8217;s hitting the ball well right now.&#8221;Tunkhannock&#8217;s last trip to states in 1999 ended with a first-round loss to Williamsport in the Class 3A tournament. Wyoming Area made it to the Class 3A state semifinals in 1981.District 2 4A ChampionshipTunkhannock 3, Wyoming Area 0Wyoming Area`AB`R`H`BIGlatz p`2`0`0`0Pizzano ss`3`0`0`0Parente c`3`0`1`0Skok 3b`3`0`0`0Melberger 2b`3`0`2`0Silinskie lf`3`0`0`0Kopetchny cf`3`0`0`0Karcutskie rf`2`0`0`0Graham 1b`2`0`0`0Totals`24`0`3`0Tunkhannock`AB`R`H`BIHJones p`3`0`0`0FJones ss`2`0`0`0Mokychic cf`3`0`2`0Simmons 3b`2`1`0`0Schultz 1b`2`0`1`0Traver lf`1`1`0`0Carpenter pr`0`0`0`0Dunn rf`3`0`0`0Farr dp`2`1`2`2Bulford 2b`2`0`0`0Krispin c`0`0`0`0Totals`20`3`5`2Wyoming Area`000`000`0`&#8212;`0Tunkhannock`001`200`x`&#8212;`3E: Wyo Area 1. LOB: Wyo Area 4, Tunkhannock 5. SAC: Bulford, Schultz. SB: Melberger, Traver.Wyo Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SOGlatz (L)`5`5`2`1`2`0Graham`1`0`1`1`1`1Tunk`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SOHJones (W)`4`3`0`0`1`4Schultz (S)`3`0`0`0`0`2<style>
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<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock second baseman Jenn Bulford turns to make a throw to first after Wyoming Area&#8217;s Jess Parente is forced out in the fourth inning Thursday. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Tunkhannock second baseman Jenn Bulford turns to make a throw to first after Wyoming Area&#8217;s Jess Parente is forced out in the fourth inning Thursday. </caption0><photoCredit0>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball3.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area&#8217;s Kari Melberger slides in safe at second as Tunkhannock shortstop Faith Jones waits for the throw. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball3.jpg</photo1><caption1>Wyoming Area&#8217;s Kari Melberger slides in safe at second as Tunkhannock shortstop Faith Jones waits for the throw. </caption1><photoCredit1>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball4.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area shortstop Gwen Glatz throws the ball to first for an out. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball4.jpg</photo2><caption2>Wyoming Area shortstop Gwen Glatz throws the ball to first for an out. </caption2><photoCredit2>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball5.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Wyoming Area&#8217;s Gwen Glatz and Cassidy Graham celebrate an out. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball5.jpg</photo3><caption3>Wyoming Area&#8217;s Gwen Glatz and Cassidy Graham celebrate an out. </caption3><photoCredit3>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball2.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock&#8217;s Paige Mokychic congratulates Hailey Farr (5) after she scored on an error in the third inning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball2.jpg</photo4><caption4>Tunkhannock&#8217;s Paige Mokychic congratulates Hailey Farr (5) after she scored on an error in the third inning. </caption4><photoCredit4>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball2_CMYK.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Tunkhannock&#8217;s Paige Mokychic congratulates Hailey Farr (5) after she scored on an error in the third inning. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/web1_TTL060217WAvTunk-Softball2_CMYK.jpg</photo5><caption5>Tunkhannock&#8217;s Paige Mokychic congratulates Hailey Farr (5) after she scored on an error in the third inning. </caption5><photoCredit5>Aimee Dilger | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Tunkhannock gets first district title since 1999</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta>By John Erzarjerzar@www.timesleader.com</bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta>DISTRICT 2 SOFTBALLD2/4 CLASS 6A(one team to states)SemifinalsHazleton Area 10, Scranton 0 (5 inn.)Williamsport 10, Delaware Valley 0ChampionshipThursdayHazleton Area 6, Williamsport 2D2/11 CLASS 5A(one team to states)QuarterfinalsNorth Pocono 5, Pottsville 3Wyo. Val. West 9, Southern Lehigh 0Pittston Area 6, Wallenpaupack 1SemifinalsAbington Heights 13, North Pocono 3 (6 inn.)Pittston Area 6, Wyo. Val. West 4ChampionshipAbington Heights 2, Pittston Area 1DISTRICT 2 CLASS 4A(two teams to states)First RoundBerwick 7, Crestwood 5Scranton Prep 3, Coughlin 0Dallas 2, Honesdale 0QuarterfinalsNanticoke 7, Berwick 2Dallas 5, Valley View 1Wyoming Area 3, West Scranton 2Tunkhannock 3, Scranton Prep 0SemifinalsWyoming Area 6, Nanticoke 5 (10 inn.)Tunkhannock 3, Dallas 0ChampionshipThursdayTunkhannock 3, Wyoming Area 0DISTRICT 2 CLASS 3A(one team to states)First RoundDunmore 9, Carbondale 0Meyers 16, GAR 5 (5 inn.)QuarterfinalsHoly Redeemer 7, Dunmore 5Lake-Lehman 8, Hanover Area 1Lakeland 3, Montrose 2 (8 inn.)Mid Valley 8, Meyers 1SemifinalsHoly Redeemer 2, Lake-Lehman 0Mid Valley 9, Lakeland 7ChampionshipThursday&#903; No. 1 Holy Redeemer (18-1) vs. No. 2 Mid Valley (19-1)DISTRICT 2 CLASS 2A(one team to states)QuarterfinalsHoly Cross 12, Blue Ridge 2Wyo. Seminary 11, Northwest 1 (5 inn.)Riverside 4, Lackawanna Trail 2Old Forge 8, No. Elk Lake 1SemifinalsHoly Cross 5, Wyoming Seminary 3Riverside 12, Old Forge 2ChampionshipHoly Cross 3, Riverside 1DISTRICT 2 CLASS AChampionshipForest City 9, Susquehanna 8 (12 inn.)Note: Williams Valley will represent the D2-11 subregion in states.</factboxMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta>Reach John Erzar at 570-991-6394 or on Twitter @TLJohnErzar</shirttailMeta></div>

Tigers win D2-4A championship