Ever since Schuylkill County joined with Berks County to form a Legion baseball league three years ago, teams in the North Division have tried to emulate what programs from the South are doing to be successful.
One of those elements was implemented this year with Southern Area and Pottsville forming Junior Legion teams in a league for boys ages 14-15.
Sunday night, the Schuylkill County teams met each other for the first time in a league game at Steidle Field. Southern Area used a 15-hit attack and the four-hit pitching of Mike Kalyan to come away with a 13-3, six-inning victory.
It was the A's second win in as many days as they defeated Oley on Saturday for their first win.
The Lions are still looking for their first victory after six games.
"It's going to help get our kids to play quality baseball games a lot more," Southern Area coach Kevin Steele said. "We're going to have games against better baseball teams. From our perspective, we're playing better caliber baseball.''
Southern Area (2-3) had a good offensive game against Pottsville, breaking out to a 9-0 lead through three innings.
The A's took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a two-run double by Matt Kalyan, and put the game out of reach with a four-run second inning.
Justin Hammer drove in two runs on a double, while John Ege knocked in the third run on an infield single to shortstop. Robbie Oliver scored the fourth run on a double steal from third base after previously reaching on a single.
The A's three-run third inning included a two-run triple by Hammer and an RBI single by Oliver.
Hammer finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs and three runs scored.
"We're a new team in the league so it's going to be tough," Pottsville coach Christian Gardner said. "Programs have been established in this league for a lot of years and this is our first. We're trying to keep up with the pace of the game and we're making strides. Whenever you go down to Berks
County, the teams are that much better."
Pottsville (0-6) scored a run in the bottom of the third inning when Eric Wapinsky was hit by a pitch with one out and later came around to score on a throwing error from left field off a single by Ryan Kalinich.
Southern Area pitcher Mike Kalyan held the Lions to only two hits through the first five innings and went on to give up only four hits for the complete-game victory.
The A's then scored a run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to build a 13-1 lead and an opportunity to end the game in six innings.
Southern Area increased its lead to 10-1 in the top of the fifth on an RBI infield single by Matt Kalyan.
The A's capped the scoring with two runs in the top of the sixth on an RBI double by Ege and an error.
"We hit the ball well tonight and we had a real good pitching performance from a guy who's normally not a starting pitcher for us," Steele said. "The bats supported him and it helped him out a lot."
Pottsville plated two runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth inning on a bases-loaded walk by Mike O'Pake and an RBI single by Mitch Robison.
MIDDLEPORT - Dalton Miller hit a three-run home run and Owen Daniel scored on an error in the third inning, helping Valley View defeat Schuylkill Valley 4-2 in a Schuylkill-Berks Legion Baseball contest Sunday.
Kyle Kaledas hit a two-run smash in the sixth that trimmed the Falcons' deficit in half.
Hunter Bordner slammed the door shut, recording the final six outs for the save.
Pine Grove 8 Wyomissing 7
PINE GROVE - Brett Kreiser and Brian Reichert collected two RBIs apiece as the Grovers rallied for a run in the seventh inning to earn a crossover victory over the Angels at Stump Stadium.
Jed Blankenhorn, Kobe D'Agostino, Kreiser and Reichert also compiled two hits apiece for Pine Grove, which was hampered by four errors.
Fredericksburg 6 Pottsville 2
FREDERICKSBURG - Tyler Moser scored on an RBI groundout by Kyle Brennan, and Brandon Daubert scored on an error in the second inning as the Lions dropped at non-league contest.
Daubert collected two hits, including a double, for Pottsville.
Southern Area 8 Tulpehocken 6
ORWIGSBURG - Dean Stramara went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and and RBI, while Sean Greenawalt drove in a pair of runs in the A's win over the Thunder on Saturday.
Junior Prep Pottsville 4 Conrad Weiser 2
ROBESONIA - Sam Siminitus hit a solo home run and Noah Nabholz tossed 6.2 strong innings the Lions earned their first victory of the season Saturday afternoon.
Nabholz fanned eight and surrendered just three hits for the victory. He also helped himself at the plate with an RBI. Corey Holobetz added an RBI as six players collected hits for Pottsville.