PHILIPSBURG — This one looked like a blowout. Already ahead 3-1, the Bellefonte Raiders mounted a four-run rally in the top of the third inning that had fans thinking the Raiders were about to 10-run the Mounties at the Monday, April 29, game.
Yet P-O pulled off a rally-killing two-on, one-out double play that ended the inning and gave an ever-so-slight window of opportunity.
The Mounties went on to even their pitching and defense — Bellefonte would score just one more run — and began to dig back into contention.
Two P-O runs in the bottom of the fourth and another in the sixth brought the score to 8-4 heading into the final inning.
Bellefonte went without a score in the top, but P-O opened with two singles by Trevor Johnson and Archer Baughman and then a double by Parker Lamb.
Suddenly it was 8-5 with two on.
Lucas Peterson lofted a sacrifice fly to get the Mounties to within two runs, but that would loom as a big out.
Raider pitcher Trevor Johnson, in for Payton Vancas in the seventh, saw a way out for his team now that there was one out.
He struck out the next batter and then got the final out on a pop out to second base and ended the game at 8-6. The win was the Raiders’ ninth, against just one loss.
It was a lost opportunity for P-O. Getting off to a slow start, giving up eight walks and committing four errors put the Mounties into a deep hole.
But the team can never be counted out, as they showed more than once this season.
Bellefonte got eight hits, including doubles by Vancas and Johnson and a home run by Oliver Thornburg, which were enough to keep P-O at bay, but just barely.
RBI hits by Johnson — a two-run double — and Vancas in the third gave the Raiders a comfortable 7-1 lead, and then Thornburg’s homer made it 8-1 before P-O began to get it back together.
Johnson, in relief, ultimately got the job done after a rocky start in the seventh.
The win was Bellefonte’s fifth in a row, including a 20-0 washout of Greater Johnstown on Friday, April 26, in Johnstown. That game was over in the fifth after the Raiders smashed 21 hits that included eight for extra bases and a homer by Johnson.
Bellefonte will next face Hollidaysburg on Friday, May 3, at home and then travel to old nemesis Clearfield on Wednesday, May 8.
Philipsburg saw its eight-game winning streak come to an end in the loss. On Thursday, April 25, and Friday, April 26, the Mounties took out Westmont-Hilltop, 6-2, and Bedford, 8-0.
Brandon Hahn did the work on the mound against Bedford with a complete-game shutout with five hits, 10 strikeouts and just one walk.
Next up for P-O will be a non-league contest against Williamsburg on Thursday, May 2, and then away games at Huntingdon on Monday, May 6, and Punxsutawney on Tuesday, May 7.
BEA keeps pace with 5-4 win over Clearfield
Kaden Burns hit a home run, Brandon Dubbs got a two-run single and Kahale Burns stroked two hits as BEA held on to defeat Clearfield, 5-4, on Monday, April 29, at home.
The Eagles were riding a 5-1 lead going into the seventh inning, but Clearfield was not finished.
The Bison put together five hits, and Matt Irvin, Elijah Quick and Anthony Lopez each drove in a run as Clearfield closed to within a run with two outs and the tying run on third base.
But Westin McClain, after giving up two hits including Lopez’s double, finally got the third out on a fly ball and ended the game.
Until that inning, the game was all BEA. The Eagles scored three runs in the first inning and single runs in the fourth and sixth to take a 5-1 lead.
Dubbs gave BEA a 2-0 lead with a single that scored Kahale Burns and Gavin Burns in the first inning, and then Kaden Burns extended the lead with a home run in the fourth.
Tayten Yoder took the win for BEA with four runs on seven hits in six innings of work, while McClain got the save.
The win was the 12th overall for BEA against two losses.
Now, the Eagles will see Bishop Guilfoyle on Thursday, May 2, at home and then see Guilfoyle again, this time away, on Monday, May 6.
State College now 7-5 after two wins over Chambersburg
The State College Little Lions faced Mid Penn foe Chambersburg twice in a row — away and at home — and came away with two much-needed wins.
On Wednesday, April 24, in Chambersburg, the Lions rallied for five runs in the fourth inning, then held on for a 6-4 win over the Trojans that marked their sixth win.
Austin Harter and Logan Shannon opened the fourth with hits and then SC scored on a hit by Nick Belinc, a bases-loaded hit by pitch, a two-run error and a sacrifice fly by Derek Moriarta.
The runs, with just one earned, were enough for the Lions to hold on through a late Chambersburg rally.
Jake Hall and Jensen Chestnut each drove in two runs in the game for SC while Sebastian Rhoades added two hits.
Gino Pighetti was the winning pitcher with six innings, six hits, two runs and five strikeouts.
Then on Friday, April 26, the Trojans came to State College for the second game.
This time, however, it was a bit different. The Little Lions scored four runs in the first two innings and four more in the bottom of the sixth and cruised to an 8-1 victory.
Samuel Janik was the difference on the mound for the Lions, pitching six innings of three-hit ball with just one run, six strikeouts and three walks.
Hall had two hits and three RBIs, and Belinc had two RBIs as State College collected eight hits and its seventh win against five losses.
Next up for SC will be a home game against Red Land on Thursday, May 2, followed by another home game against Cumberland Valley on Monday, May 6.
Other Scores:
Monday, April 29 — Mount Union 15, Penns Valley 0
Monday, April 29 — Halifax 15, Saint Joseph’s Catholic Academy 5
Schedule:
Thursday, May 2 — SJAC at Halifax
Saturday, May 4 — SJCA at Warrior Run
Monday, May 6 — Penns Valley at Tyrone
Tuesday, May 7 — SJCA at Upper Dauphin
Wednesday, May 8 — Central at Penns Valley
