Frankford pounds Northeast, 16-5

Despite a second-place showing in Division A of the Public League, Frankford looks primed to make a strong run at the program's first championship since 2008 and sixth in the last nine seasons.

The Pioneers showed off their potent offense in Friday afternoon's regular-season finale against Northeast. The visitors banged out 12 hits, including six for extra bases, en route to a 16-5, six-inning triumph at Bleigh Street and Algon Avenue.

"If we can play like we've played the last couple of weeks, I really believe we can compete with anybody in the playoffs," Frankford coach Juan Namnun said. "I couldn't be more excited about our lineup. All these kids are constantly progressing."

The squad went 12-2 in the division, with both losses coming against regular-season titlist Masterman.

The Pioneers, seeded first in the Class AAAA bracket, will open postseason play Wednesday at home against Monday's Overbrook-Germantown survivor.

Against the Vikings, centerfielder Augusto Ortega continued his hitting tear from the leadoff spot. He went 3 for 4, with a pair of doubles and three runs.

"My job is all about getting on base, setting things up for the meat of the order," said the 5-foot-9, 140-pound junior, who has 20-plus stolen bases in 19 contests. "If I get on, I'm confident my teammates will move me around."

Ortega, who lives near Castor and Hunting Park Avenues in the Juniata Park section, is batting a team-best .522 (35 for 67) with 27 runs and 14 RBIs.

Said Namnun: "He's our motor. He makes us go. He's one of the best all-around players in the city."

Kevin Montero, a 6-foot-4, 225-pound sophomore third baseman, went 2 for 5 with four RBIs. He drew the attention of major-league scouts last summer while in his native Dominican Republic.

"If we stay focused, we can do real well in the playoffs," the Spanish-speaking Montero said through Namnun, also of Dominican descent.

Montero, the cleanup man, is batting .429 (24 for 56) with 19 runs and 18 RBIs. "Scouts see a lot of potential in him," Namnun said.

In the third inning, shortstop Israel Diaz and rightfielder Hector Cerda, the Nos. 6 and 7 hitters, delivered back-to-back home runs to give the Pioneers a 5-3 advantage.

Ortega's one-out double to left field, his second in that direction, sparked a three-run fourth. After Ortega stole base and scored on a fielding error, Omar Cruz (double to right), Montero (bloop single to center) and Brandon Gonzalez (single to center) drove in runs.

Gonzalez, a righthander, went the distance while improving his league record to 4-0. The junior yielded 11 hits, struck out six, and walked two.

For pitching, Namnun can also call on Diaz, Cerda, Ricky Alvarez (.448 batting average), and Cruz (.400, 27 RBIs), the team's ace. "I have five legitimate arms," he said. "Never in my time here have we had that kind of depth."

Early on, it looked like the Vikings might keep things interesting. In the bottom half of the second, Howard Lynn's two-run homer to left and Louis Contreras' RBI double to left-center made it a 3-3 contest.

Frankford   033 325 – 16121

Northeast   030 002 – 5113

WP: Brandon Gonzales. LP: Howard Lynn. 2B: F–Omar Cruz 2, Augusto Ortega 2; NE–Louis Contreras. HR: F–Israel Diaz, Hector Cerda; NE–Lynn.