DALLAS — Carolyn Comitz’s face told the emotions she was flooded with.
The Dallas senior practically grew up on the Back Mountain Little League field where the Mountaineers play their home games. She remembers those moments in her youth career — the district games, the sectional playoffs, and even the big, clutch hits she’s had over the years.
On Tuesday, everything came full circle, as Comitz put on one final show for the home fans.
The senior first baseman drove in six runs, recorded her 100th career hit and blasted a walk-off three-run homer to send the game into the mercy rule in the sixth inning, as Dallas advanced to the District 2 Class 4A semifinals with a 10-0 win over Berwick.
“It’s really emotional for me. I’ve played a lot of games here: state tournaments, sectionals, districts for Little League, four years of varsity. It’s a lot of emotions right now,” Comitz said. “We knew they were pretty close with Lehman, and that was at the forefront of our mind. We couldn’t take anything for granted.”
In Thursday’s semifinals, the Mountaineers (13-5) will face off with state-ranked Valley View (18-2), which eliminated Lackawanna League foe Scranton Prep.
“In the beginning of the season, Carolyn was struggling a little bit, but she really worked hard at it. She has been on fire here lately,” Dallas coach Buzz Buchinski said. “She’s in the high .400’s now. If you take away the first three or four games, she’s probably batting close to .600 over the last 10 or 12 games. She’s been amazing.”
Buchinski admitted he was nervous entering Tuesday.
Despite beating the Bulldogs, 15-0, on Senior Night in the Back Mountain on May 2, the first-year Mountaineer coach understood how dangerous the Bulldogs could be, pushing Lake-Lehman and Holy Redeemer in league games against their WVC Division 2 rivals.
Now, add to the fact the aura surrounding a home playoff game — something Dallas hasn’t experienced since 2019.
“I am happy for the seniors and juniors to have this today. No one on the current team has ever experienced a home playoff game or a playoff win,” Buchinski said. “That was another goal in the season. We wanted a winning record, get in the playoffs and win a game there, which is something Dallas hasn’t done in a long time.”
Buchinski had no reason to worry with the way Comitz was swinging the bat.
She drove a two-run double to the gap in left-center in the first, which was her 100th career hit. She added another RBI in the second on a single through the left side, and almost hit a homer in the fourth as her double hit off the base of the fence in left.
That wouldn’t be an issue in the sixth, driving a 2-0 offering from Makayla Brown well over the fence in center for the three-run shot.
“It was the best finish to playing on this field that I could have ever asked for,” Comitz said. “I’ve been playing on her since I was probably eight. Having a final game like this here, it’s fulfilling.”
Berwick (10-11) fought an uphill battle right from the start, trailing 5-0 after the first inning. Those five runs probably seemed like 25 with the way Nina Barrouk was throwing in the circle. The Bucknell commit allowed just one hit, a Brown single in the first, and finished with 10 strikeouts, punching out six straight batters between the first and third innings.
“We played well the last week of the regular season. We were hoping to come up here with a different outcome,” Berwick coach Emily Johnson said. “We put the ball in play in our first three at-bats, but couldn’t capitalize on the opportunities when we had base-runners on. That first inning was a little hard to bounce back from.”
For the Mountaineers, it was the perfect start as Sophia Maier drove a pitch right back up the middle, and Sydney Haydu reached base after being struck by a pitch. Brown got the next out, but Comitz knocked in two runs, and Emma Eick and Giovanna Smacchi connected on back-to-back RBI singles, as Dallas was out and running to a quick, five-run lead.
Comitz’s third RBI pushed it to 6-0 after two, and the Mountaineers added one in the third after Haydu’s double hit off the fence in left.
Comitz ended with four hits, while freshmen Haydu and Alyssa Traver each had two hits.
Valley View 13, Scranton Prep 0 (5 inn): At Valley View, Taylor Cawley hit a two-run homer to lead the No. 2 Cougars over No. 7 Scranton Prep in a five-inning Class 4A quarterfinal win.
Cawley also earned the win, striking out six batters over five innings of two-hit ball. Abbi Call, Ella Swingle, Emily Moyles and Ashlyn Palickar added two hits apiece for Valley View.
Bella Dennebaum and Grace McCormack had the lone hits for Scranton Prep.
Wyoming Area 5, Wallenpaupack 1: At Wallenpaupack, Alexa Gasek had three hits and two RBIs, leading No. 5 Wyoming Area over the No. 4 Lady Buckhorns in a Class 4A quarterfinal win.
Wyoming Area travels to top-seed Tunkhannock in Thursday’s semifinals.
Gasek also earned the win, striking out four batters over seven innings. Arianna Gaylord and Renee Haddock added two hits apiece, with Haddock recording a double.
Josie Leighton scored Wallenpaupack’s lone run with a solo homer in the fifth inning. Allie Sterner, Gabby Hieber, Adrianna Milutinovic and Luciana Babyak each hit singles.
Hieber struck out 11 batters over seven innings for the Lady Buckhorns.
Tunkhannock 15, Hanover Area 0 (3 inn): At Tunkhannock, the Tigers ripped 14 hits as Taryn Newswanger and MaKenzie Bevan each hit home runs in a 15-0, three-inning victory over Hanover Area in the District 2 Class 4A quarterfinals Tuesday.
Tunkhannock will host No. 5 Wyoming Area in Thursday’s semifinals.
Addisyn Waterman finished 3 for 3 with four RBIs and three runs scored. Lucy Karp, Erin Van Ness, Newswanger, Bevan and McKenzie Hannon each had two hits in the victory.
Hannon tossed a three-inning no-hitter with seven strikeouts.
District 4 Class 2A Quarterfinals
Northwest Area 4, Muncy 2: At Northwest, the Rangers scored two runs in each of the second and third innings to advance in the District 4 Class 2A playoffs with a 4-2 win over Muncy.
Northwest, the No. 2 seed, will face either Troy or Williamson at Williamsport’s Elm Park on Thursday.
Natalia Ninotti finished 2 for 3 with two RBIs and one run scored. Olivia Nevel and Addisyn Diltz each had two hits in the victory. Ava Ruckle and Callie Moyer also had hits in the victory.
Jenna Robaczewski picked up the win, allowing two runs on two hits with eight strikeouts in 4 2/3 innings. Ninotti finished off the game, allowing no hits and striking out three.
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