BEAVER SPRINGS - The four-time defending Mifflin County Babe Ruth champions, Lewistown, won its opener on Saturday by doing what it does best, taking advantage of the other teams mistakes.
The West beat Beaver Springs, 9-4, on nine hits. The Springs didn't help it self as it committed three errors and had two wild pitches that helped Lewistown score twice.
The game was close until the sixth inning when the West broke it open with five runs on five hits.
Hunter Shuff started for Beaver Springs and left after five innings of work. Lewistown greeted the new Springs' pitcher, Travis Zechman, with five hits in the sixth. Peyton Reesman reached first on a single that just scooted by the Beaver Springs third baseman. Manny Eby moved him to second on a sacrifice bunt. Willie Duncan drew a walk and Max Remy knocked home Reesman with a single. Duncan later scored on a passed ball.
Isaiah Kearns, Lucas McKay and Aaron Snook all followed with RBI singles and the West had a 9-1 margin to work with going into the late innings.
Beaver Springs finally came to life in the bottom of the sixth. Ty Ross got hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, but Tyler Arbogast grounded into a 1-6-3 double play. Shuff kept the inning alive with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch.
Tyson Troutman walked and then Alex Hackenberg capped off a 3-for-3 day with a two-run single.
But, it was how the West scored its first four runs that told the story in this game. Remy led off the game with a walk and went to second on a throwing error. He later scored on a wild pitch.
In the second, Blaise Roush did the same exact thing for the West as he opened the inning with a walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Reesman reached on an error, stole second and scored on a Remy base hit.
Lewistown scored a run in the third as Snook walked and stole second. Teague Miller reached on an error as Snook moved to third. Then Miller got involved in a run down and Snook came home with the West's fourth run of the day.
Zechman tripled for Beaver Springs to open the third and scored on a ground out from Aaron Sharp.
Kearns got the win going five innings, while McKay followed with three innings of work to close out the game. Kearns struck out five, walked two and gave up four hits.
Remy finished with two hits for the West and Kearns chipped in with three.
Belltown 12, McVeytown 0
MCVEYTOWN - This is one opening day that Belltown's Blayz Shartzer won't forget.
Shartzer, a 15-year-old, tossed a no-hitter against McVeytown in a 12-0 win that ended after six innings due to the 10-run rule.
Shartzer had 12 strikeouts, walked one and hit one batter.
The game was close for the first five innings as McVeytown's Drew Harshbarger and Shartzer were locked up in a pitching duel.
Harshbarger pitched the first four innings as he struck out eight, walked two and gave up just one hit. When he left the game, McVeytown only trailed 2-0.
But, in the sixth, Belltown came up with nine runs and wrapped up the game. Shartzer had the big hit in the inning, a two run double.
Belltown's Zach Hostetler had two hits, while Keith Corson had the winner's only other base hit.
Strodes Mills 9, Burnham 5
BURNHAM - Strodes Mills scored four times in the top of the sixth inning to win its opener over Burnham, 9-5.
Strodes Mills' Matt Haas had the key hit in the sixth inning with a two-run single. Luke Amspacker, who finished with three hits, also aided the cause in the sixth with a base hit.
Derrick Kepner picked up the win for Strodes Mills as he went the last three innings in relief of Andrew Bernstein, the starter, and Andrew Larson, who worked the middle innings. Kepner finished with five strikeouts and three walks.
Strodes Mills finished with eight hits. Along with Amspacker's three, Nate Fortson and Haas each had two.
Jack Packer was the only player for Burnham with multiple hits as he had two, including a double.
Reedsville 12, Belleville 6
MILROY - Both Reedsville and Belleville came to the ball park with their hitting shoes on Saturday as the two teams combined for 19 hits. Reedsville had 10, while Belleville finished with nine.
Reedsville also came out on top on the scoreboard as it beat its arch rival from Big Valley, 12-6.
Reedsville needed a four run sixth inning to secure the victory. Belleville had closed the gap to 8-6 with three runs in the top of the sixth.
Nate Koller picked up the win for Reedsville with five innings of work. He struck out five, walked one and gave up seven hits. Hunter Walker gave up the three runs in the sixth, but worked a scoreless seventh.
Dalton Sinkus had the big hit for Reedsville in the sixth with a run producing triple. Reedsville's other extra-base hit came in the second when it scored six times as Keenan Walker rapped a double.
Dakoath Schlegel led the Reedsville attack with four hits and Jared Michaels finished with two.
Belleville had three players with multiple hits as Trent Yoder, Zach Stauffer and David Walker each had two. Walker's single in the sixth inning knocked in two runs for Belleville. Stauffer and Ross Torquato each had doubles.
Sunday's Games
Belleville 12, Milroy 1
BELLEVILLE - Belleville's Ross Torquato tossed a complete game five hitter Sunday as Belleville won its first game of the season with a 12-1 win over Milroy. The game was stopped after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Torquato gave up a run in the first inning and then shut the door on Milroy.
Jacob Walters led off the game for Milroy with a single, stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Trevor Bulick singled and then Bulick and Walters pulled off a double steal for Milroy's only run of the game. Barron Vogt had two of Milroy's five hits.
Torquato struck out nine and didn't walk a batter.
Belleville had a 10-hit attack with David Walker, Kyle Harshbarger and Isaac Maclay each getting two hits.
Maclay, a rookie, drove in three runs and smashed a two-run double into right center in the fourth inning making the score 11-1.
Lewistown 12, Yeagertown 1
LEWISTOWN - Lewistown used the pitching of Peyton Reesman to stop Yeagertown, 12-1, on Sunday. The game ended after five innings because of the 10-run rule.
Reesman pitched a complete game as he struck out five and walked one. The 14-year-old gave up just four hits. Lewistown turned its second double play in as many games on Sunday and didn't commit an error.
Isaiah Kearns, another 14-year-old, had an outstanding day at the plate with three hits including a double, triple and drove in four runs.
The West also had three other extra-base hits with Reesman getting a triple, while Max Remy and Teague Miller each had a double. C.J. Reigle, a rookie, had two hits for Lewistown.
One of Yeagertown's four hits was a double from Nate Earnest.
