PHILIPSBURG — The Spike Island Pirates improved their first-place record to 11-3 with a doubleheader sweep of Spring Mills on June 25 at Philipsburg-Osceola High School.
Using a seven-run first inning and the pitching of veteran Josh Potter, the Pirates took game one, 13-3. Then a walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth inning of game two by Nate Gustkey gave Spike Island the second game, 7-6.
In the opener, a walk, hit batter and seven hits — including RBI singles by Carson Jones, Bubba Slogosky, Jeremy Potter, Allen Myers and Mike Kitko — plated seven runs and gave Josh Potter a comfortable cushion in which to start his second game of the season.
The Braves were able to cut the Pirate lead to 7-3 in the third inning after a two-run double by Zach Swangner, but Spike Island struck right back with a run in the bottom of the inning and then four more in the fifth.
Josh Potter finished with six innings pitched, seven hits, three runs and two strikeouts. He was relieved in the seventh by Ryan Whitehead.
Jeremy Potter led the team with two hits, including a home run, two RBIs and three runs scored, while Slogosky and Gustkey also had two hits each.
Jeremy Whitehead put the game out of reach with a three-run home run in the fifth that put the score at 12-3.
The game then ended under the 10-run rule when Josh Potter’s RBI single made the score 13-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning.
In Game 2, both teams scored early, and the Pirates took a 5-3 lead into the sixth inning. But the Braves tied it on Bryce Dobson’s second home run of the game, this one a two-run shot that tied it at 5-5.
Neither team was able to score until Spring Mills went ahead in the ninth after a fielder’s choice ground out by Dylan Treaster made it 6-5.
Spike Island, however, came right back and tied the score again on an RBI double by Jake Belinda in the bottom of the inning.
Following that, a walk and a single by Ryan Kephart loaded the bases for Gustkey with two outs.
Gustkey took two balls and then lined the game-winner to right field, scoring Belinda and giving the Pirates their 11th win of the season.
Kephart led the 14-hit attack for Spike Island with three hits and two runs scored, and Ryan Whitehead and Kitko shared the duties on the mound, with Kitko getting the win after five innings of work.
Spike Island will next have two games against Blanchard, away on June 29 and then at home on June 30.
Spring Mills, now 5-9, will see the Howard Hawks at home on June 29.
Other CCBL Results:
June 18
Howard 18, Spring Creek 3
Spike Island 10, Lewistown 6
Lewistown 4, Spike Island 2
Lemont 7, Spring Mills 1
Lemont 5, Spring Mills 3
June 20
Howard 6, Spike Island 5
Blanchard 14, Spring Creek 1
June 25
Lewistown 8, Blanchard 6
Standings:
Spike Island 11-3
Howard 9-3
Lemont 8-4
Blanchard 6-4
Spring Mills 5-9
Lewistown 4-9
Spring Creek 1-12
