Moon Area has won consecutive PIAA Class AAA baseball titles. With the emergence of Nathan Nery as one of the state's top players, the Tigers are readying for what they hope will be another run to the title.

A 6-foot-4, 210-pound left-hander, Nery (6-0) has caught the eye of a number of scouts.

Nery tossed a two-hitter in a 12-0 victory against Montour and struck out 17. Against West Allegheny, he threw a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts in a 7-0 victory. Nery struck out 11 and allowed four hits in a 9-5 win against Hopewell.

"There were probably nine or 10 scouts at our game the other night," Moon Coach Tom Hoffman said. "Nathan wasnt at his best; he walked seven. That's unusual for him because he rarely walks anybody, but he made up for it."

Nery, who plays first base when he isnt pitching, homered twice and drove in four runs against Hopewell. He is hitting above .500 and has four homers.

What helped make Nery a must-see player for scouts is his added strength. He has added about 20 pounds since last season and is an avid weight lifter.

"I think the added strength has helped him add some speed to his fastball," Hoffman said. "He looks faster than he did last year."

Nery has signed to attend Stetson University in Florida, but could have a tough decision to make if he is selected in the major league June draft.

Moon is 8-5, a record comparable to a year ago, when the Tigers got hot late in the season and went on to defend their PIAA title.

"All we want is a chance to defend our state title," Hoffman said. "That means we have to get to the semifinals of the District 7 playoffs. We seem to get better as the weather heats up."