In a highly anticipated meeting in Philipsburg on Monday afternoon, the P-O Mounties held off a last-inning rally by Bellefonte and broke the Raiders’ 13-game winning streak with an exciting 3-2 win.
State College improved its record to 8-7 with an eight-inning conference win over Cumberland Valley and a non-league win at Williamsport, and Penns Valley, also in extras, rallied late and finally overcame Huntingdon, 10-8, on May 5.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy is now 7-5 after a 3-2 win over Neumann Regional, while Bald Eagle Area prevailed in a run-fest over Tyrone on Monday to move to 10-6.
Here’s a closer look at each team and a sneak peak at the upcoming playoffs:
P-O 4, BELLEFONTE 3
Bellefonte and Philipsburg-Osceola had been circling each other for some time, and they finally collided in Philipsburg on Monday afternoon.
The game was close all the way with P-O surging ahead in the fifth inning and then staving off a last-ditch Bellefonte rally to close out the win.
In the fifth, the Mounties loaded the bases without a hit and ultimately scored the decisive three runs in their exciting 4-3 victory.
The Red Raiders, down by three runs in the seventh, struck back to within 4-3 after a clutch, two-run home run by Levi Purnell, but Mountie pitcher Dave Meersand managed to get the final two outs to save the win.
The win improved Philipsburg’s overall record to 10-4, while it also moved the team to within a ½ game of the Red Raiders in the Mountain Leagues standings with a 10-1 mark. Bellefonte is now 14-2 overall and 11-1 in the conference.
With the game tied 1-1 in the fifth, P-O’s Ben Gustkey and Jake DeSimone both walked to start the inning.
Hot-hitting Jeremy Whitehead was then intentionally walked, loading the bases.
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Gustkey gave the Mounties a 2-1 lead when he scored on a fielder’s choice, and that was followed with a squeeze bunt by Colby Hahn that made it 3-1. An RBI single by Nick Coudriet scored Whitehead, and P-O led 4-1 with just two innings to play.
Meersand put the Raiders down 1-2-3 in the sixth, but with one out in the seventh, Kenny Squires singled. Purnell followed with a homer to left field that drew the Raiders to within a run, and then Braedyn Kormanic, with two outs, reached with a single that put the tying run on base.
Meersand, however, got the dangerous Derek Fravel to fly out to end the game. Now 10-4, P-O is ranked No. 4 in District 6, 3A just ahead of No. 5 Tyrone and behind Richland.
Coming up, the Mounties will next face Huntingdon on May 12 at Huntingdon and then DuBois Area at home on May 16. Bellefonte, despite the loss to P-O, is solidly in the lead in the D6, 4A standings, ahead of No. 2 Juniata. Two games against Tyrone, on May 12 and 17, and an away game at Mifflin County are next for the Raiders.
STATE COLLEGE
The Little Lions and Cumberland Valley played to a 1-1 tie through seven innings on May 5, but SC was able to push across two runs in the top of the eighth to snare a 3-2, Mid Penn Conference win over the Eagles.
The Lions scored twice in the eighth after a walk, a twobase error, and a sacrifice fly. They then had to sweat out a bases-loaded, no out situation in the bottom of the inning to preserve the win.
SC pitcher Cooper Ryan got the decision after giving up just one run and one hit in two innings, but he also walked three batters in the CV eighth. Fortunately, he struck out two batters before the Lions threw out an Eagles’ runner trying to steal home with two outs, ending the game.
The win evened the SC record at 7-7, and then the Lions went to 8-7 with a come-from-behind, 7-5 win over Williamsport on Monday in Williamsport.
The Lions were down 5-3 going into the last inning, but RBI hits by Drew Moerschbacher and Sam Janik followed with a two-run double by TJ Yoder propelled the team to four runs and a 7-5 lead. Janik, on the mound, allowed two baserunners in the bottom of the inning, but a double play and a strikeout gave the Lions their eighth win.
Yoder finished the game with three hits and three RBIs, while Janik and Moerschbacher each had two hits. Janik got the win after throwing 2.2 innings with no runs and four hits. State College will next have Cedar Cliff and Chambersburg at home on May 12 and 13.
Presently, the Lions are ranked No. 2 in the D6, 6A bracket behind Altoona.
ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC ACADEMY
St. Joseph’s Catholic Academy used an RBI single by Nick Warner, a steal of home by Luke Duckworth, and a two-base error by St. John Neumann to forge a 3-2 victory over the Knights on May 9 in Boalsburg.
Evan Roach pitched a gem for the Wolfpack, going six innings and giving up just a run on one hit with 18 strikeouts. Duckworth, in relief, finished the seventh inning with three strikeouts to record the save.
The Wolfpack fell behind early by a run, but picked up two runs in the second inning and then another in the fourth to go ahead 3-1.
SJN did score an unearned run in the seventh, but Duckworth squashed the rally by striking out the final three batters. Thomas Delahoy led SJCA with two hits, while Warner had a hit and an RBI. The win was the fourth in a row for the Wolfpack and it moved the team’s record to 7-5 for the season.
Now ranked No. 3 in the 1A, D6 bracket, SJCA will finish its season with a double header at Warrior Run on Saturday, May 14.
BALD EAGLE AREA
Bald Eagle Area won its second game in a row with a stirring — and closer than it looks — 11-9 victory over Tyrone on Monday at home.
The Bald Eagles scored 11 runs in the first four innings and then weathered a furious comeback attempt by Tyrone to bring home the win. BEA blasted 18 hits, including doubles by Justin Bisel, McGwre Heverly and Cameron Watkins, with Heverly and Hayden Vaughn each collecting three hits. Kahale Burns, Alex Gavlock, Heverly, Bisel and Tyler Serb all had two RBIs in the game.
After going ahead 11-3 heading into the fifth inning, BEA had to hold on as the Golden Eagles scored two in the fifth and another four in the seventh to creep to within 11-9.
In the seventh, Tyrone put together six hits–four singles and two doubles — and had the tying runs on base. But relief pitcher Mikey Snyder was able to get Luke Brooks to ground out for the third out and the win. With the victory, BEA moves to 10-6 for the season overall, and 7-5 in the Mountain League (3rd place).
The Eagles still have Huntingdon away on May 12 and Somerset away on May 13. They are presently ranked No. 6 in the 3A, D6 rankings, ahead of Penns Valley and just below No. 5 Tyrone.
PENNS VALLEY
The Penns Valley Rams saved their best for last against Huntingdon on May 5.
The Rams scored six runs in the last two innings — two in the top of the eighth — to take a 10-8 victory over the Bearcats. The Rams scored on a two-run double by Hayden Houser, a run forced in on a walk, and a sacrifice fly by McClain Welshans to tie the game at 8-8 in the top of the seventh.
Then in the eighth, a single by Ty Houtz, an error, and two fielder’s choice ground outs plated two more runs and put PV ahead 10-8.
On the mound, pitcher Houtz, who went all eight innings for PV, held the Bearcats without a score in the final two innings to bring in the win.
Penns Valley had nine hits in the game, led by Colby Sweitzer with three and Miles Brooks with two. Houser and Welshans combined for five RBIs. The Rams are 6-9 now overall and 3-7 in the conference.
They are ranked No. 7 in 3A with games at Clearfield (May 12) and at Mifflinburg (May 13) left to play.
