CENTRE COUNTY — The Spike Island Pirates knew going into Game 2 of the CCBL Championship Series against the Blanchard Bees that they absolutely could not fall behind 2-0 to the Bees in the five-game series.
After falling in the first game 8-6 in Blanchard on Thursday, it became imperative to win Game 2 at home on Sunday.
So, they put their ace on the mound in Ryan Whitehead, scored six runs in the first two innings, and ultimately came away with a much needed 9-2 victory over the Bees.
After Dennis Prestash doubled in the second inning and Sam McDonald was hit by a pitch and Cole Bloom walked to load the bases, Zac Tiracorda ripped a two-run single that was quickly followed by another RBI hit by Luke Peterson that made the score 3-0.
Then with two outs, Ike Tiracorda knocked in the fourth run with a single to center.
In the third inning, Morgan Billotte walked and McGwire Heverly followed with a long home run to left field and suddenly the Pirates led 6-0.
Blanchard’s Asher Corl got the Bees back in the game with a two-run home run in the top of the fourth that scored Taten Yoder and put the score at 6-0.
Whitehead, however, was at the top of his game and did not give up another run after Corl’s bomb.
He was helped out of jams by three slick double plays and then went on to finish things up with a 1-2-3 seventh inning.
He was also helped by three insurance runs put up by his team in the bottom of the sixth on a clutch three-run, bases-loaded double by Billotte that scored both Tiracordas and Peterson.
After that, Whitehead’s perfect seventh inning tied the series, 1-1, and sent it back to Blanchard for Game 3 on Tuesday evening.
In Game 1, the Spikes opened the series with five runs in the top of the first inning on hits by Ike Tiracorda, Billotte, Prestash, McDonald and Heverly.
But Asher Corl, Yoder and Toner Corl all homered in a seven-run third inning that gave the Bees the early 7-5 lead.
Both teams scored just one run each after that, and the Bees hung in for an 8-6 win behind pitcher Kevin Grenninger.
Spike Island outhit Blanchard in the game, 11-7, but the Bees’ long balls spelled the difference.
Now, the series is down to a best-of-three with another important meeting on Tuesday.
