Toughest is yet to come for 15s
Bounce back sets stage for showdownRay Wilde, Sentinel correspondent
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IF YOU GO
Mifflin County plays Springford today at 8 p.m. in Milroy.
MILROY - Two years ago, the Mifflin County 13-year-old All-Stars made a habit of come back victories in its march to the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth title in 2007.
It must have been, "Turn Back the Clock" night at the Armagh Memorial Field on Friday becuase the Mifflin County 15-year-olds, now two years older, put together another come from behind win as they beat Aston Valley, 7-5.
Mifflin County is now 2-0 in pool play and has a big game on Saturday night as it takes on Springford, another 2-0 team, at 8 p.m. Mifflin County closes out pool play with another 8 p.m. game on Sunday against Pottsville.
Trailing 5-3 going into the top of the seventh, Mifflin County put together a four-run rally that had the memories sliding back to 2007. Two years ago, Mifflin County had two key come from behind wins against Wayne County and Broomall-Newtown in the chamnpionship game.
Cole Welham led off the seventh by reaching on an error. Welham was a pinch hitter and Jeremy Koller re-entered as a runner. Hunter Walker had two strikes, but didn't give up and singled to keep the inning alive. Then Levi North came up big with a bunt.
North laid down a perfect bunt between the pitcher and Aston Valley's third baseman and his speed got him to first for a base hit.
Koller scored on a wild pitch that made it 5-4.
Tyson Searer, a pinch hitter, drew a walk to load the bases. Chris Wilson re-entered for Searer at first base. Mitch Welham popped to second for the first out, but then Tyler Wilson became the hero of the day.
Wilson lashed a base hit up the middle that scored Walker and North and when the relay throw went wide. Chris Wilson scored run number seven.
"Going into the seventh we still had three outs and you know the saying it's never over until its over," said Butch Bender, the Mifflin County manager. "The players in the dugout never got down. They just don't give up. We got great relief pitching from (Travis) Fisher and (Levi) North today. Tyler Wilson had a big hit in the seventh inning for us. That bunt that Levi laid down was just to advance the runners, but it was perfect and with his speed it was a base hit. We got big hits from Tanner Kibe and Jeremy Koller in the fifth."
Aston Valley got off to a good start as it jumped out to a 5-0 lead after two innings. Hunter Walker started for Mifflin County, but ran into some control problems in the first as he walked three and Aston Valley had two hits, plus Mifflin County committed an error in helping Aston to a 3-1 lead. John McGonegal and Jack Babin had the two singles for Aston Valley.
In the second, with two out, Anthony Okooring singled and then Drew Giampietro homered and it was 5-1.
Fisher came in the third inning and he stayed in the game until the sixth. He gave up no runs, struck out two, walked one and gave up one hit. North came in with one out in the bottom of the sixth and one on and promptly got Billy Vandergrift to hit into a double play. In the seventh, North only faced four men and walked just one.
Mifflin County scored a single run in the first as North walked and Mitch Welham singled him home.
In the fifth, Mifflin County chipped away at the lead with two runs. Kibe led off with a single and Koller then ripped a double scoring Kibe. Koller moved to third on a wide throw from right field. Walker got him home with a ground out.
The Mifflin County running game was stymied all game by Giampietro, the Aston Valley catcher, who threw three Mifflin County runners out trying to steal.
Vandergrift went into the seventh, before being relieved by Sean Nelson. Vandergrift had two strike outs, walked two and gave up nine hits. North and Mitch Welham each had two hits.
14-year-olds
Mifflin County 10, Springford 0
LEHIGHTON - Mifflin County took care of business on Friday with a swift removal of Springford in a 14-year-old game in the Pennsylvania state Babe Ruth tournament.
Mifflin County had 10 hits in a 10-0 win over Springford, wrapped up in five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Mifflin County is 2-0 and will face Ridley, the District 1 champion, today at noon. Both Ridley and Mifflin County have made the final four and the game will decide who will be the top seed for the semifinals, which are set for Sunday.
Michael Zoppetti and Kody Smeltz combined for a two-hitter on Friday. Zoppetti got the win as he went three innings. He gave up two hits and a walk. Smeltz worked the final two innings and faced just six men.
Lucas White led the Mifflin County offense with three hits and he knocked in two runs.
Nic Snook also had a big day with three RBIs including a key hit in the fifth inning when Mifflin County scored four times to wrap up the easy win. He also executed a squeeze bunt in the third inning.
Mifflin County had two extra-base hits, doubles from Zoppetti and Cy Treaster.
Leading 6-0 going into the bottom of the fifth, Mifflin County scored four times to close out the game.
Dan Sutton singled and stole second to start the fifth. Zoppetti doubled him home. Cullen Russler walked and Zopetti and Russler pulled off a double steal. Snook then had his two-run RBI. Seth Wagner followed with a walk and then another double steal led to the final run as Snook scored on a ground out by Smeltz.
"It was a well played game in a very efficent manner.," said Bernie Howard, the Mifflin County manager. "We hit the ball up and down the lineup. (Lucas) White and (Nic) Snook had big days. Getting a win in five innings is very important as it saves us innings (on the mound). The coaching staff was very pleased with the team's effort."
This marks the 60th time that a Mifflin County team has reached the Pennsylvania Babe Ruth final four and it marked the seventh time that Howard has guided a Mifflin County team to a final four spot.
In a key match-up in the pool, defending state champion, State College, defeated Middletown Twp. 13-4.
13-year-olds
Potter-McKean 2, Mifflin County 1
PHOENIXVILLE - Going into this postseason, Mifflin County's record in one-run games was 90-61 - an unrealistic number for that type of statistic.
By the law of averages it should be around the .500 mark. Recently, the law of averages has been winnning.
On Friday, the Mifflin County 13-year-olds lost to Potter-McKean, 2-1, in the bottom of the seventh inning. It marked the second time this season that a Mifflin County team has dropped a one-run decision in the bottom of the seventh inning.
In fact, Mifflin County now has dropped four one-run decisions in a row. The last one-run decision that went Mifflin County's way was a 1-0 win over Broomall-Newtown in the 15-year-old bracket in 2008. On that same day the 14-year-olds lost to West End of Williamsport, 9-8.
On Friday, Mifflin County didn't help itself as it only had two hits and scored its only run in the fifth inning.
John Michael Maclay and Rodney Patterson each had singles, but not in the fifth. Miflin County didn't have a hit in the inning that it scored its only run. Shane Connahan walked and went to second on a wild pitch. Connahan moved to third on a Potter-McKean error and scored on a wild pitch.
Heath Hidlay had Potter-McKean shutout until the bottom of the seventh. He gave up a hit and walk and was lifted for Patterson. Patterson had two 0-2 counts on the two batters he faced, but of them got hits to win the game for Potter-McKean.
Hidlay went six innings, struck out three and gave up just three hits.
Without much offense, Mifflin County left 10 men on base.
"I thought their pitcher did a good job of controlling our bats," said Scott Reigle, the Mifflin County manager, "We played a good game defensively. Heath (Hidlay) deserved a better fate."
Mifflin County is now 2-1 in pool play and doesn't play again until Sunday at 5:30 p.m. against ChiChester.
