Lackawanna Trail’s Michael Palmer pitches against Old Forge in a District 2 Class 2A quarterfinal. KEVIN MCCONLOGUE / STAFF PHOTO
Lackawanna Trail’s Ashton Thiel leads off first base against Old Forge in a District 2 Class 2A quarterfinal. KEVIN MCCONLOGUE / STAFF PHOTO
Lackawanna Trail couldn’t overcome sloppy defense, some wildness and a first inning hole as its 2025 baseball season came to an end in the first round of the district playoffs.
Luke Olivieri was in control on the mound for the Blue Devils pitching a complete game allowing two hits and striking out eight in an 11-1 five-inning win for No. 3 Old Forge over No. 6 Lackawanna Trail in a District 2 Class 2A baseball quarterfinal on Tuesday, May 20, at Pagnotti Park in Old Forge.
The miscues started for Lackawanna Trail started right away in the bottom of the first running when three Lions errors and three walks led to four Blue Devils runs. Jake Iacavazzi and Frank Pero had RBIs in the inning for Old Forge to jump out to the early lead.
Old Forge would then add four more in the bottom of the third inning thanks to another RBI hit from Iacavazzi and an RBI hit from Cam Krushnowski. Iacavzzi would drive in three runs in the game, Pero two, and Krushnowski would tack on two hits.
The Blue Devils would score three in the bottom of the fifth to end the game when TJ DiMattia led off the inning with a double, and Pero and Olivieri would add on RBIs to advance Old Forge to the district semifinals.
The Lions would score their lone run in the fifth inning when William Evans would lead off with a single and Tucker Kinney would drive him home with an RBI double. Kinney and Michael Palmer combined to pitch for Lackawanna Trail with Palmer striking out three in relief.
Old Forge advanced to the District 2 Class 2A semifinals. Lackawanna Trail’s season ends with a 9-8 record.
Old Forge 11, Lackawanna Trail 1
Lackawanna Trail 000 10X X- 1
Old Forge 404 03X X- 11
Lackawanna Trail Pitching: T. Kinney- 2.1 IP, 3 H, 8 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 1 K; M. Palmer- 2.1 IP, 7 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K.
Old Forge Pitching: L. Olivieri- 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 8 K.
Lackawanna Trail Batting: 2B: T. Kinney. RBI: T. Kinney. R: W. Evans.
Old Forge Batting: 2B: T. DiMattia. RBI: J. Iacavazzi (3), F. Pero (2), L. Olivieri, C. Krushnowski, E. Castaldi, W. Wozniak, J. Bartnikowski. R: A. DiMauro (2), J. Iacavazzi (2), T. DiMattia, J. Revello, F. Pero, J. DiStasi, E. Castaldi, J. Bartnikowski, C. Mulkerin.