Perhaps no team has been hotter than Coplay in the Lehigh Valley Legion heading into the second last week of play.

After their 0-5 start, they've reeled off seven wins in eight games, resulting in a steaming .875 clip over that span.

Coplay manager William Kovolenko said their success isn't due to some magic formula. It all boils down to the players and their positive outlook.

"The kids really have a good attitude," said Kovolenko. "They're playing hard and they're having fun."

It also helps that they're getting timely hitting and superb pitching which has catapulted them into fourth place in the LVL.

"It's been good things all the way around," said Kovolenko.

Pitching has certainly been one of those good things. In their 2-1 win over Emmaus last week, Matt Hassick pitched a complete game, one hitter, dropping his ERA to 1.33.

That outing was followed by another strong performance with Austin Dreisbach, surrendering just two hits in their 3-1 win over Northern Valley. He went five strong innings before closer Richard Yost shut the door in the sixth.

Kovolenko said that Dreisbach has all the tools to be a good pitcher. In that game, he benefited from catcher Vincent Cuvo who, "called a really good game," said Kovolenko. That experience has a dual advantage since it demonstrates the importance of the catcher in the process, something he put to use when he caught Hassick's gem.

"He's learning and he's making the pitches," said Kovolenko. "It also helps him when he calls his own game. It's a learning process."

Coplay scored solo runs in the second, fourth and fifth innings for their three runs. Kovolenko said that Dreisbach drove in the first run with an RBI single, while the second run was driven in by Matthew Miller on a single. The final run came off the bat of William Kovolenko III, who laced a single to give them the insurance run.

Coplay has a number of players who are excelling at the dish this year. With at least 15 at-bats, leadoff hitter Cuvo is hitting .357, while Matt Miller is hitting .320. Additionally, Kovolenko is hitting .276 and Nathan Dekorte is batting .273.

Another aspect of their game that's been a mainstay this season has been their defense, said Kovolenko. He said that Matt Miller and Will Loy who play shortstop and second base, respectively, have been stellar middle infielders who have stabilized their defense.

"We're a very strong defensive team," he said.

Kovolenko was also excited about Coplay's contribution at their annual All-Star game versus Schuylkill-Berks Legion on June 23. They Lehigh Valley Legion won 8-2 and players from Coplay had a hand in the victory. Hassick pitched an inning and didn't allow a run. He also got a hit and drove in a run. William Kovolenko III also chipped in with a single and made a nice catch in the outfield.

In the Showcase event, Kovolenko said that Loy and Matt Miller played well, with Loy getting an RBI single in the game that followed the skills portion of the afternoon.

As they head into the final week, Kovolenko said they're really jelling right now.

"It's fun coaching these kids," said Kovolenko. "We have a lot of kids who've progressed; they've gotten better. They're very coachable."

He said the aim is to make the playoffs and see what happens from that point.

"They're making it a memorable summer for themselves," he said.