PHILIPSBURG — Spike Island pitcher Ryan Whitehead had one of his best days on the mound at exactly the right time.
The undefeated Blanchard Bees and once-beaten Spike Island Pirates were squaring off in Philipsburg on Sunday, June 14, in a CCBL showdown with first place on the line. Whitehead took control in what became a 5-1 Pirate victory.
Whitehead threw a complete game three-hitter, with one earned run, three walks and 12 strikeouts.
He became stronger as the game progressed, and after the Pirates edged ahead 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning, he retired 9 of the final 10 Bees that he faced.
The game started with both pitchers dominating — Whitehead and Blanchard’s Kevin Grenninger.
Things were tied 1-1 in the fourth inning when Spike Island pushed across two runs and took a 3-1 lead.
McGwire Heverly and Morgan Billotte singled to open the inning, and after an out, Fischer White walked to load the bases.
Parker White followed with a clutch two-run single that gave Whitehead and his team a two-run lead.
In the fifth inning, Billotte singled in Ike Tiracorda with the Pirates’ fourth run, and then Connor Guenot singled in the final run with two outs in the bottom of the sixth.
Blanchard scored its run in the top of the fourth on a single by Asher Corl, a sacrifice bunt, and an RBI hit by Braylen Corter that, at the time, tied the score at 1-1.
From there, the Bees were able to put a runner on in the fifth, but they were put down 1-2-3 in the sixth and seventh innings.
Grenninger finished the game giving up eight hits, four earned runs, two walks and seven strikeouts.
For the Bees, it was the first loss of the season after 11 straight wins. Blanchard came into the game after scoring a total of 36 runs in wins over Spring Mills and Milesburg.
Next up, the Bees will see Milesburg away and Lemont at home.
The Pirates are now 11-1 and scheduled to next see Baseball U and Milesburg.
Other Scores:
June 9
Spike Island 10, Spring Mills 0
Blanchard 19, Milesburg 4
Mifflin County 12, Lemont 9
Howard 14, Happy Valley 3
June 11
Spike Island 17, Happy Valley 1
Lemont 10, Baseball U 7
Spring Creek 16, Milseburg 10
Schedule:
June 18
Milesburg at Happy Valley
Howard at Spring Mills
Lemont at Blanchard
June 19
Howard at Spring Creek
June 21
Blanchard at Howard
Mifflin at Happy Valley
Spring Creek at Lemont
Milesburg at Spike Island
