FOUNTAIN SPRINGS — Noah Mateyak shut down Tri-Valley’s bats for seven innings and Luke Kane and Cooper Ansbach each drove in two runs to lead Tamaqua to a 4-0 Schuylkill League Championship title victory Thursday at North Schuylkill High School.
It marks Tamaqua’s (21-1) second straight Schuylkill League championship game victory after defeating Blue Mountain 6-0 at the end of last season.
“It’s outstanding and I couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” said Tamaqua head coach Jeff Reading. “They got the opportunity last year and this year we had a target on our backs and they rose to the occasion.”
Mateyak allowed just two base runners all game and sat down the Bulldogs (17-6) 1-2-3 in each of the first five innings for the complete game shutout. The Blue Raider allowed just one hit and struck out seven.
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Tamaqua senior Noah Mateyak (11) delivers a pitch as Tamaqua and Tri-Valley face off in the Schuylkill League Championship at North Schuylkill High School, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
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Tamaqua senior Noah Mateyak (11) delivers a pitch as Tamaqua and Tri-Valley face off in the Schuylkill League Championship at North Schuylkill High School, Thursday, May 15, 2025. (MATTHEW PERSCHALL/MULTIMEDIA EDITOR)
“We have a sheet that reminds us to always get ahead in the count and I made that happen,” said Mateyak. “We knew we wanted to come back and defend our championship title.”
Kane was big for the Blue Raiders, bringing in runs in the first and fourth innings, before Ansbach drove in two runs of his own later in the game.
“I was sitting back waiting to see an off-speed pitch today and it came right in, he hung it in the middle of the zone and I capitalized,” said Kane. “The opportunity was there so I drove it.”
After Mateyak sat down Tri-Valley in order in the top of the first, Kane shot a sacrifice fly to center field to plate Mason Ligenza for the 1-0 lead.
The Blue Raiders got on base in each of the next two innings before Kane doubled home Ligenza on a fly ball to left field for the 2-0 advantage.
“If there’s runners on base I’m going to the plate thinking line drive and base knocks to get these guys in,” said Kane. “It was a great momentum booster for us.”
One batter later, Ansbach stepped up and grounded an RBI single into center field to score Kane for the 3-0 lead.
Ansbach put the finishing touches on Tamaqua’s scoring in the bottom of the sixth when he singled on a fly ball to left field to score Ligenza for the 4-0 lead.
“I was hoping we could get some more runs but that was big,” said Reading. “He’s (Kane) one of our best hitters and he’s clutch at different times.”
Mateyak closed his outing on the mound by striking out three Bulldogs in the top of the seventh for the 4-0 win.
“This was a great team win after going 1-1 with them (Tri-Valley) this season,” said Mateyak. “The coaches made sure I hit my spots.”
Kane led Tamaqua’s bats with a double and two RBI’s while Ansbach drove in the two runs and totaled three hits. Landon Kamant went for another two hits.
Tamaqua got runners in scoring position in the first, second, third and fifth innings but stranded them to keep the ballgame close. The Blue Raiders had 10 hits as opposed to the Bulldogs one hit.
Tri-Valley 0 — Miller DH 3 0 0 0, Stewart SS 2 0 0 0, Doyle SS 3 0 0 0, Klock 2B 3 0 0 0, Porter LF 3 0 0 0, Hatter C 2 0 0 0, Schley P 1 0 0 0, Wehry 0 0 0 0, Clark 3B 2 0 1 0, Scheib RF 2 0 0 0. 22 0 1 0.
Tamaqua 4 — Ligenza CF 1 3 1 0, Yenser RF 3 0 1 0, Kane C 4 1 1 2, Ansbach SS 4 0 3 2, Mateyak P 4 0 0 0, Kamant 3B 3 0 2 0, Morgans LF 3 0 1 0, Fronheiser 1B 1 0 1 0, Najarro DH 2 0 0 0, Witkowski 2B 2 0 0 0. 27 4 10 4.
E — Tri-Valley 0, Tamaqua 1; LOB — Tri-Valley 2, Tamaqua 10; 2B — Kane; SB — Ligenza 2, Ansbach 3
TV (17-6);0;0;0;0;0;0;0;—0
TAM (21-1);1;0;0;2;0;1;X;—4
Tri-Valley
IP H R ER BB K
Schley 5 9 3 3 3 3
Stewart 1 1 1 1 1 1
Tamaqua
Mateyak 7 1 0 0 1 7
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