Wallenpaupack Area baseball team is in a three-way battle for first place in Division I

HAWLEY — A hard-hitting, power-pitching Wallenpaupack Area team is making local high school baseball fans take notice this spring.

The Buckhorns are alone atop the Division I standings, having won six of their first eight Lackawanna League games.

Thanks in large part to the play of Eli Peifer, Gannon Decker and Jake Holbert, Paupack enters a crucial stretch of its schedule with a narrow lead over perennial powerhouses Abington Heights and Scranton Prep.

“I definitely think we’re starting to put things together,” coach Todd Schmalzle said. “We seem to be moving in the right direction. The kids are working hard and it’s beginning to pay off.”

Paupack will be tested over the course of the next week with three games against playoff contenders.

The Buckhorns travel to longtime rival North Pocono on Wednesday, then to Clarks Summit on Monday for a much-anticipated showdown with Abington. They return home next Wednesday for a battle with Valley View.

First pitch for each of these league contests is slated for 4:30 p.m.

More: Western Wayne baseball team poised to make a run in Lackawanna League action

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Diamond leadership

While this year’s Paupack roster is brimming with talented players, three in particular stand out from the crowd.

Eli Peifer, Gannon Decker and Jake Holbert are all battle-tested veterans who provide leadership on and off the diamond.

Peifer is a fireballing righty and the ace of the Buckhorns pitching staff. The talented senior has been a member of the varsity squad for four years, contributing both on the mound and at the plate since his freshman season.

So far this spring, Peifer is unbeaten on the hill with a 3-0 record. He is among the league leaders with a minuscule 0.95 ERA and 38 strikeouts. Offensively, he’s showing some real pop with seven doubles and two triples.

“Eli has thrown the ball very well this year,” Schmalzle said. “He has a great slider and a good change, but he sets everything up with his fastball. Eli works extremely hard both in and out of the season. He is reaping the rewards of that hard work.”

Decker is a lightning quick senior who patrols center field and bats lead-off. A returning divisional all-star, Decker battled a nasty ankle sprain early in the season, but is back to nearly 100%.

To date, Decker is one of the most disruptive lead-off men in the league. He’s batting .333 while leading the team in hits, runs and stolen bases.

“As he is getting healthier, Gannon has started to hit better and better,” Schmalzle said. “He is certainly the spark plug for this team. Gannon runs extremely well and he’s a real problem for other teams when he gets on base.”

Holbert is another member of a talented senior class whose calling cards are athleticism and versatility. He also excels in football and basketball and will continue his career at Shenandoah University in the fall.

A returning Division I all-star, Holbert enters the week batting a solid .263 with 10 runs scored and 13 RBIs. He’s also been flashing some Gold Glove leather at both shortstop and second base.

“Jake hit around .400 both his sophomore and junior years,” Schmalzle said. “He struggled at the plate early in the season, but is starting to heat up and hit the way he should.”

Jordan Santiago, Mark Nilsen, Greg Van Gorder and Thomas Kiersted are also making key contributions for the Buckhorns this spring.

Santiago is a senior catcher who dazzles behind the dish and delivers clutch at-bats as well. To this point in the campaign, he’s batting .313 with 11 runs scored, three doubles, one homer and six RBIs.

Nilsen is a top tier infielder who plays both shortstop and third base. The junior is currently batting .361 with a pair of doubles, 10 runs scored and five RBIs.

Van Gorder had been something of a revelation this year, especially in the batter’s box. Just a sophomore, he leads the team in batting average at .419 and RBIs with 15.

Kiersted is another promising sophomore who anchors the infield at first base. He enters the week batting .367 with two doubles and nine RBIs.

Signature win

Paupack experienced some early-season ups and downs in April, but seems to be hitting its stride as we head into May.

The Buckhorns are 6-3 in Lackawanna League action, a half-game up on Abington and a full game ahead of Prep. And while the squad already owns several impressive wins, Schmalzle believes one in particular stands out.

“If I had to pick one game so far it would probably be West Scranton,” he said of Paupack’s 5-1 victory. “Eli pitched a great game, and I think our hitters did a good job of battling at the plate. We got some timely hits and played pretty well defensively.”

Peifer was outstanding in this one, authoring a complete game masterpiece. He worked seven innings, allowing just one run on five hits while striking out six and not issuing a walk. It was his third straight league win of the season.

“Eli is the key,” Schmalzle said. “He has been really strong on the mound. We know we have a good chance of winning any time Eli is on the hill.”

Van Gorder paced the offensive assault against West, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs. Holbert also came through in the clutch with two hits and two runs scored. Kiersted chipped in with one base knock and a pair of RBIs.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Wallenpaupack Area baseball team poised for a late season playoff run