CENTRE COUNTY — The Howard Hawks were up against it during their afternoon game on Sunday, July 14, when they took on Blanchard in the second game of the Centre County Baseball League semifinals.
Game 1 was a resounding 9-2 loss at Blanchard on Thursday, July 11, and going down 2-0 to the defending champs was not a very appealing option.
And then when the Bees took advantage of two errors in the second inning to score three runs, the Hawks clearly had to do something.
That something turned out to be scoring a run in the third on a single by Kaden Burns and then stroking six hits — including a home run by Alex Gavlock — in a five-run, fourth-inning rally that put them ahead for the first time in the series.
The Hawks coupled those runs with a steadily improving performance on the mound by Dylan Womer and five more scores in the sixth that put them ahead by seven runs heading into the last inning.
Despite an error and a hit batter to begin the seventh, Howard clinched the 11-4 win with a game-ending double play that evened the series and gave the Hawks new life.
Gavlock’s three-run shot in the third, followed an RBI hit by Womer, gave the Hawks a 5-3 lead.
It became 6-3 following a walk, a double by Parker Quick and another RBI by Burns, this time on a sacrifice fly.
On the mound, Womer was met with five hits and three runs in the third inning, but he got it together and allowed just one more run in the game and none over the final two innings.
In the Howard sixth, the Hawks put a lid on things with hits by Burns, Bryce Greene, Bryan Greene and Womer that, along with an error and three walks, netted five more runs and put the Hawks firmly in control.
Both teams finished with 11 hits on the day, with Womer and Burns combining for five hits and six RBIs for Howard.
Blanchard’s Asher Corl had three for the Bees, as did Braylen Corter.
The two teams will now meet for game three in Blanchard, with game four scheduled for Thursday, July 18, at Howard.
Game five, if needed, will be at Blanchard on Sunday, July 21.
Pirates get a break and take a 2-0 lead against Lewistown
The Spike Island Pirates played one of their best overall games of the season in an 8-0 win at Lewistown in game one of their CCBL semifinal series.
Then on Sunday, July 14, the Pirates did not have to do much to take a 2-0 series lead. Lewistown, due to work issues with some of its players, could not post nine players and had to forfeit the game.
The forfeit gave the Pirates a 2-0 series lead in the five-game set, with game three set to be at Lewistown on Tuesday, July 16. Scores were not available prior to The Centre County Gazette’s publication deadline.
In game one, Spike Island pitcher Zac Tiracorda threw a masterful three-hit shutout against the FoxPro with seven strikeouts and no walks.
Just five Lewistown players reached base and none advanced past second base.
On offense, Keegan Soltis led the Pirates with two home runs and three RBIs, and he was backed up by McGwire Heverly, Denny Prestash and Parker White, who all chipped in with multiple hits.
Spike Island took a 1-0 lead on Soltis’ first-inning homer and then scored seven runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth innings to wrap up the win.
Just one more victory would put the Spikes in the CCBL finals against the winner of the Blanchard and Howard semifinal.
