The Hawley Post 311 Legion Baseball Squads have all been affected by the weather this season, with June being one of the wettest months in the region in a long time.

 On Wednesday afternoon, that constant juggling of schedules kept the coaches and players on the Junior Legion team busy once again. They hit the road to travel to Lackawanna Trail Field to take on FMS, only to get there and find that Mother Nature had stepped in and washed out the diamond leaving puddles big enough to pull a smallmouth bass out of and unplayable. So, the team went down to Ackerly field in Clarks Summit and found it was ready for action and the game was moved there. They would win the first game 7-6.

“It can take a toll on the kids, but they’re gamers. They’re kids and they love the game,” said Coach Mike Guy Jr. after the FMS game and heading on his way to face off with Abington Heights in somewhat of an unconventional double-header.

The first game saw the Toros open up with a single by Kenny Ciszak who eventually scored on an error by FMS attempting to get out Erik Pulkkinen. Pulkkinen would score moments later on an RBI by Jake DeSane on a fielder’s choice. At the end of one the red-hot Toros, riding a five-game win streak were up by two.

FMS cut that lead in half in the bottom half of the frame scoring one run of their own but in the third the Purple Pack would rack up three more runs to take a 5-1 lead.

In the third, Ciszak lead off with another single, sending a shot to left field. Ciszak would then steal second and take third on a past ball. Ciszak would then score on an error when the FMS catcher threw a ball into center field trying to get it back to his pitcher. Pulkkinen reached first on a ball four base-hit, then swiped second and third before being knocked in on an RBI double by Will McLaughlin. DeSane kept the scoring alive in the inning when he hit an RBI fielder’s choice to score McLaughlin.

In the fourth, the Toros added another run, this time it was the winning pitcher for Hawley, Grant Schafer, who got things started by laying down the perfect bunt and beating out the throw to first. Schafer stole second and Cameron Wolfson stepped up to the dish and blasted an RBI single scoring Schafer giving them a commanding 6-1 advantage with three frames to go in the contest.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Generals struck twice cutting into the lead making it 6-3. In the top of the sixth the Toros added one insurance run that proved to be the game winner.

Schafer again lead off with a single and stole second, but got caught trying to steal third. Wolfson reached on a walk and the thievery continued when he stole second. On the day the Toros managed to steal eight bases. With Wolfson waiting on second David Ortiz stepped into the batter’s box and three pitches later sent one into deep center for what would turn out to be a game-winning RBI double as the Generals made a late rally in the bottom of the seventh plating three runs to close out the game 7-6.

Schafer was the winning pitcher on the mound going six innings, striking out five batters and allowing only one earned run on four hits. Ciszak came in as relief in the seventh and picked up the save.

Ciszak, Schafer, and Wolfson each had two hits in the contest with Ciszak scoring twice and Schafer and Wolfson each crossing the dish once. Wolfson also had an RBI in the game.

Pulkkinen ( 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 stolen bases), McLaughlin (1 hit, 1 run, 1 stolen base, 1 RBI), Steve Camasta (1 hit), Ortiz (1 hit for a double, 1 RBI), and Robert Cameron (1 hit) rounded out the Paupack offense.

“Kenny Ciszak had a couple of big hits for us. Grant Schafer did a great job for us on the mound pitching wise, he shut them down for six innings and Kenny picked up the save. Cameron (Wolfson) came up big in a couple of places,” said Guy.

Defensively they committed four errors.

“I think this was one of the sloppier games we played this year. We committed too many errors. We didn’t execute, especially on the bases, but the best thing is that winners win and losers lose, and we came out and won,” said Coach Guy.

The Toros extended their win streak to seven after beating Abington Heights in the second game of their Wednesday double-header 10-6.

They were down by four after one inning, then by two after two, and then tied after three. They took a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning and never trailed again, plating five runs in the sixth.

Kane Kellogg was the winning pitcher going six innings, striking out three and allowing only six hits. Ortiz picked up the save.

Steve Camasta was three for four with three RBI’s and two runs scored. Ciszak and Robert Cameron each had two hits. Wolfson, Kyle Conklin, Kellogg, Caleb Vogler, and James Goetz all had one hit.