Wally Cartagena singled and doubled for William Allen in the Diamond Nation Fall League.
By Rich Bevensee
Rob Leskosky is coming off a history-making campaign at William Allen High in Allentown, Pa., a season which ended a decade of losing, and the Canaries’ head coach has no desire to go backwards.
The players he brought to compete in the Diamond Nation High School Fall League in Flemington are the guys he is counting on to lead by example and ensure William Allen stays on the winning side of the ledger.
If Jayden Mercado and Yorvi Almonte can take how they produced Wednesday evening and replicate that next spring, the future success of William Allen baseball is more than secure.
Almonte pitched brilliantly, throwing three no-hit innings while allowing one run. Mercado, who singled and tripled in his two previous at bats, delivered a walk-off, two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning to deliver William Allen’s first Fall League triumph, an 8-7 victory over Go The Distance.
Mercado is a 6-foot, 205-pound senior at Innovative Arts Academy in Catasauqua, Pa., but plays for William Allen. Leskosky said Mercado’s confidence level belies his experience, noting that he began playing baseball three years ago as a freshman.
In the bottom of the fifth, with runners at second and third and two out, Mercado fell behind 1-2 and fouled off two pitches before lining a grounder through the hole between short and third to drive in both runners for the win.
“In my head I was thinking I can’t strike out,” Mercado said. “I had a whole lot of confidence in myself. The whole time I was like, ‘I’m the best batter here. I’m gonna do my job.’”
William Allen began its fifth-inning rally trailing, 7-4. Mercado’s game-winning hit was set up by leadoff hitter Wally Cartagena, who began the comeback with a one-out single up the middle. Damien Orozco drove in Cartagena with a triple to center, and Emill Roman followed with a double to the left-center gap to chase Orozco home.
Roman took third on a wild pitch before Sebastian Pena walked and stole second, getting the winning runs into scoring position for Mercado.
“It felt great watching the comeback. There was a lot of energy in the dugout,” Almonte said. “We loved seeing everyone hit, and we were very confident about Jayden at bat.”
Last spring the William Allen Canaries went 21-6 and won the East Penn Conference title for the first time since 1991. It was Leskosky’s first winning season after 10 straight years of finishing under .500.
Leskosky was named Coach of the Year by both The Morning Call, Allentown’s daily newspaper, as well as by LehighValleyLive.com.
Mercado was asked about Leskosky relying on him to make sure next spring’s team continues to build on the historical 2026 season.
“I love that he’s counting on me,” Mercado said. “I love having the ability to create something and not be on the sideline. I like being one of the main characters.”
Leskosky said the Canaries graduated their entire pitching staff and the team is counting on Almonte to pick up the mantle next spring.
“I don’t really feel pressure, but I’m gonna try my best to help the team win,” said Almonte, a 6-1, 210-pound right-handed senior at William Allen. “I know we can run it back and win it all again.”
Through the first three innings Wednesday night, Almonte allowed one run on no hits and two walks while striking out three, using only a fastball and slider. He kept his kick change and knuckle curve in his tool belt.
Liam Swarts, here legging out a ground ball, had a three-run double for Go The Distance.
“I wanted to mainly focus on those two pitches, and I really transferred it to the game today,” Almonte said. “I felt amazing, very confident from the start, even in warmups. I was excited to put in the work.”
Go The Distance finally got to Almonte in the third when Hunter Relton scored on a passed ball, but Almonte stranded two runners in scoring position when catcher Sebastian Pena made a nice two-out catch of a pop up against the netting in foul territory.
“Last week he kept looking at his velocity and I had to remind him I’d rather he throw strikes,” Leskosky said. “Nobody cares how hard you throw ball four. When he concentrates and locates, he’s a very talented pitcher.”
No. 11 hitter Jadiel Sarmiento gave William Allen a 2-0 lead in the second with a two-run double, and Roman made it 3-1 in the third with a groundout RBI to drive in Cartagena, who doubled.
The wheels came off the William Allen defense in the top of the fourth, as Go The Distance rallied for six runs on three errors in addition to two hits and two walks to claim a 7-3 lead.
Go The Distance took a one-run lead before Liam Swarts made William Allen pay for all those miscues with a two-out, three-run double to right center.
William Allen chipped away in the bottom of the fourth when Mercado tripled to left center and Harold Perez followed with an RBI single to left.
Then came the game-winning rally in the fifth.
“It was great seeing them have good at bats in that situation, because that’s what it’s going to take to repeat what we did,” Leskosky said. “We have great kids on the team and I believe in them.”
For William Allen (1-1), righty Hannley Ramirez allowed six runs (one earned) on two hits and two walks with one strikeout. Southpaw Jakxiel Rodriguez pitched a scoreless fifth and struck out three.
For Go The Distance (1-1), Andrew Kucsma permitted three runs (one earned) in 2⅔ innings on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts. Vic Prignano yielded three runs in 1⅔ innings on four hits and one walk with one strikeout. Nick Moschella allowed two runs on two hits and a walk in the fifth.