Butler Township(5-1)
Manager: Shawn Manning
W 5-3 v Franklin
W 3-2 v Franklin
W 16-1 v F.L.A.G.(Fairview)
W 5-4 v DuBois
L 7-0 v DuBois
W 10-0 v DuBois
TOTAL: 39-17; 6.5-2.8 per game
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2011
Last State Title: 2006
Team Batting Average: .369; 23BB, 32K, 1HR
Team ERA: 2.70; 10BB 30K
Players to Watch: Sage Seezox: 17.1IP 8ER, 0BB 25K; 8/13, HR; Graham Hohn: 7/12 5RBI
Butler Township returns to the state tournament for the first time in 14 years after making their way through District 25 and Section 1 play. Only one other team was involved in districts, as Butler played a best of three series with Franklin. The games were close. In the first matchup, Franklin took the lead on a second inning solo home run and loaded the bases, but Carter Knapik snagged a liner at first base to prevent a lopsided inning. Brandt Reeder put Butler ahead on a 2RBI single to right. Sage Seezox provided Butler Township’s only home run of postseason action on a deep fly to center that increased the lead to 3-1. A passed ball and Reeder RBI single provided key insurance runs and Butler went on to win the first game 5-3 after survivng another bases loaded situation in the fifth and turning an inning ending double play.
The second game was even closer. Kaden Walker got Township on the board with a first inning grounder to second for a fielders choice and RBI. Sage Seezox, who threw a complete game in the first meeting and 5.2 innings of this one, got a sac fly RBI to increase the lead to 2-0. Graham Hohn doubled to the wall in center to put Butler up 3-0 in the fourth. Hohn made the game saving play in the bottom of the sixth, as Franklin loaded the bases, trailing 3-2. Hohn got a groundball and threw to first for the final out to send Butler Township to a district title.
The bats came out in force against FLAG(Fairview). Ten runs crossed home plate in the first inning in a 16-1 rout. Seezox doubled home the first and Hohn singled in two more. Walker put one back up the middle to make it 4-0 and keep the bases loaded. A hit by pitch and two walks forced in the next three. Sean Rosrovski cleared the bases on a ball ripped to left field. Two more bases loaded plunked batters and two walks forced in four second inning runs. In all, ten walks and four hit by pitches provided numerous free opportunities and Fairview was held to one hit.
Seezox returned to the mound in game two against DuBois. DuBois took an early 2-0 first inning lead, but Township responded immediately. Hohn grounded one deep in the hole at third for an infield RBI single and a walk to Reid Cuny tied the game. Henry Manning scored on a wild pitch to put Butler ahead 3-2. The back-and-forth affair continued, as DuBois regained a 4-3 lead before Hohn’s sac fly RBI tied the game in the third. Grady Bohin provided the game-winning RBI on a two-out single to left that scored Rosrovski. Township intentionally walked the bases loaded with two outs in the sixth and Knapik induced the game ending groundball to second base to escape with a 5-4 win. Butler pitching was on point, as Seezox struck out 11 and walked none while scattering eight hits.
The same two teams met two days later in the title series. Butler needed just one win to advance to states, but DuBois had other ideas. Three pitchers combined to hold Butler scoreless and strand nine runners on base. With a 7-0 win, DuBois forced the if-game. Township flipped the script in the second game, notching a seven-run second inning to go up 9-0. Bohin and Blaz Collins each hit a 2RBI double in that inning to break things wide open. Knapik, in his first appearance on the mound, got the four inning shutout, fanning one and only giving up four hits.
Butler Township begins state tournament play agsinst Pennridge on Monday at 1:00.
Hermitage(7-0)
Manager: Dustin Kulka
W 8-2 v West Middlesex
W 19-3 v Mercer/Commodore Perry
W 13-3 v Grove City
W 8-0 v Grove City
W 1-0 v Somerset
W 10-0 v West Allegheny
W 8-0 v Somerset
TOTAL: 67-8; 9.6-1.1 per game
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2022
Last State Title: N/A
Team Batting Average: .357; 33BB, 46K, 4HR
Team ERA: 1.33 10BB 46K
Players to Watch: Ian Staples: 8/19 6R 10RBI 2HR, 13.0IP 13H 3ER 3BB 23K; Blake Hooks: .600 4RBI, 16.0IP 2ER 1BB 11K
Hermitage rolled their way through District 2 play, outscoring four opponents 48-8. First up was West Middlesex. After the first four Hermitage outs came by way of the strikeout, they found their footing. Blake Hooks started the scoring with an RBI single to third base that scored Gino Squatrito. The team then put up a big two-out rally in the third inning, as Bryson Rueburger reached on an error at second, allowing two runs to come home. Rueburger then scored on a wild pitch to increase the early lead to 4-0. MJ Panty’s RBI single to left made it a five run third inning on the way to Hermitage’s 8-2 victory. Ian Staples threw a two-hitter and struck out nine. Despite striking out 12 times, Hermitage got the win in a game shortened due to rain.
Next up was Mercer/Commodore Perry. The bats exploded for a ten run second inning. Dom Gottuso singled to right and the ball got by the right fielder, rolling to the fence to clear the bases. Beau Becker singled him in for a 4-0 lead. Staples drove in two more on a double up the middle and two wild pitches capped the inning off. Mason Hand hit his first postseason home run to make the score 16-1 at the time.
Against Grove City in the winners bracket final, it was another run-rule shortened contest. A 2-run home run put Grove City ahead, but the Hermitage bats came alive again in a ten run third inning. Staples cracked a 3RBI home run to deep center and three bases loaded walks put Hermitage up 8-2. Becker doubled home two more. Staples threw and 81-pitch complete game, fanning six and walking three. The two teams met again in the district title game. Hermitage scored in every turn at bat and Blake Hooks threw a complete game five-hitter, walking none. Staples capped the scoring with a 2-run home run to center in the fifth. A bases loaded walk and passed ball also scored two runs.
With the district title in hand, Hermitage would not surrender a single run in Section 2 play. Somerset was the first opponent, and had an excellent chance with the bases loaded in the top of the first inning. However, Blake Hooks fired home to catcher Spencer Kulka to throw a runner out trying to come home to end the threat. In the bottom of the fourth, Hermitage got the first two on base, as Hochstetter reached on a dropped third strike and Rueburger walked on a full count pitch. A wild pitch moved them both into scoring position, but two strikeouts and a groundout back to the pitcher by Panty stranded both. Three straight walks in the top of the fifth gave Somerset another chance to break through, but a strikeout and grounder to Hand at third put the inning to bed. Somerset squandered yet another bases loaded chance in the sixth, and the game went to extras. Blake Hooks fanned the side in the top of the seventh and Staples put a line drive into center to score the ghost runner in Hochstetler.
The winners bracket final against West Allegheny was a 10-0 blowout in five innings. Six walks and six wild pitches kept the carousel turning, while Staples threw a five inning shutout with ten strikeouts.
The section championship was a rematch with Somerset. Hermitage again dominated, getting early contributions from Kellan Toth(a 2RBI double) and Staples(an RBI single). Hand added a 2-run home run to increase the lead to 7-0. Staples made the final out, catching a liner at short with the bases loaded. Blake Hooks threw a complete game and was able to work in and out of trouble, with ten hits allowed.
Hermitage will be the nightcap on day one at states, as they will face Glen Moore Eagle at 7:00.
Keystone(6-1)
Manager: Matt McDermott
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2018
Last State Title: 2018
W 9-1 v Montoursville
W 8-0 v South Williamsport
L 3-2 v Montoursville
W 5-4 v Montoursville
W 7-2 v Elk Lake
W 1-0 v Selinsgrove
W 4-3 v Selinsgrove
TOTALS: 36-13; 5.1-1.9 per game
Team Batting Average: .257; 28BB, 24K, 3HR
Team ERA: 0.57; 20BB 66K
Players to Watch: Gio Cej: 7/9 8R 7RBI 10BB 3HR, 10.1IP 4H 3ER 6BB 21K; Adam Meyer: 5/15 3R 3RBI, 20.1IP 6H 1ER 10BB 38K
Keystone is a familiar name in recent years to any Little League fan. The team competes in District 12, the home district of South Williamsport, opening play against Montoursville.
Gio Cej kicked off the scoring with a 2-run bomb to center. The two out shot was his first of two in the game, as he went yard again in the fourth to bring home three more runs and open up a 5-1 lead. He later walked on four consecutive pitches to force in the sixth run in the 9-1 victory, finishing the day with 6RBI. Adam Meyer completed the game on 80 pitches, finishing off an eight strikeout one-hitter. The next opponent was South Williamsport. It ended in a rout, but the game was close most of the way. Cej hit another home run in the first inning, this a two out solo shot to deep center. Meyer struck out the side in the bottom half. A couple of hit batters and single loaded the bases in the second, where Ryker Packech was able to score, but the next runner was thrown out at home to end the inning. Three straight hits in the third increased the lead to 5-0. Through four innings, Meyer struck out ten. Five errors resulted in just four earned runs for Keystone.
The team met up with Montoursville again in the district title series. Montoursville took the first game, despite another solid effort by Meyer. He got Keystone on the board first with an RBI single in the first, but two straight strikeouts prevented them from adding on. A wild pitch in the fifth allowed Keystone to score again, but they fell 3-2. In the decisive second game, Keystone built a 5-1 lead through three innings and hung on for the 5-4 title. Jaxon Orndorf grounded one through the middle for an RBI in the first, and a passed ball allowed Brooks Warner to score. Montoursville was held hitless until the fourth inning, where they got an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-1. After a wild pitch in the sixth inning got Montoursville within 5-4, Orndorf gloved a popup at second base to get Keystone out of trouble. Carter Leone put the game away with the tying run in scoring position, catching a liner hit right back to him, sending Keystone to sectionals.
It was a clean sweep at the Section 3 tournament in Athens, though not an easy one. Keystone and Elk Lake entered extra innings tied at 2-2 in the opening game. Meyer got Keystone on the board in the first with an RBI single up the middle. Elk Lake got a 2-run homer in the bottom of the first and Keystone tied it on a Karter Markle double to left. Meyer was instrumental again, striking out 11 over six innings of work, including fanning the first two in the bottom of the seventh. He put his team ahead in the top of the inning, wearing a pitch with the bases loaded to force in a run.
The boys from Beech Creek advanced to face Selinsgrove in the winners bracket final. Gio Cej got it done on the mound this time, throwing a one-hitter with 12 Ks, shutting out the future Seals. Meanwhile, Keystone stranded seven runners through the first three innings, missing golden opportunities to get on the board in a scoreless battle. The lone run of the game came on a passed ball in the fourth with two outs, bringing home Hunter Kisko to score. Despite stranding ten, Keystone was into the Section 3 title game. It was a rematch with those same future Seals. Each team made four errors in the final game, and all three runs for Selinsgrove would be unearned. An error at short led to a 2-0 Selinsgrove lead. Keystone again stranded runners through the first three innings–a total of six. They finally broke through in the fourth, when Kisko flew a ball into center field for a single, scoring Cej. Orndorf’s sac fly RBI tied the game. Two wild pitches got Keystone two more runs over the next couple of innings, moving the lead to 4-2. Selinsgrove got one back in the bottom of the sixth, but Leone and Meyer fielded groundballs with successful throws to Dylan McDermott at first base to close things out and send Keystone to the state tournament.
Keystone draws Morrisville in their state tournament opener. Despite having the lowest team batting average and run production of the eight teams, Keystone is a known threat and the 66 strikeouts by their pitching staff should allow them to also hold opponents at bay in low scoring affairs.
Hollidaysburg(7-1)
Manager: Rick Sapko
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2023
Last State Title: 2022
W 11-1 v Tyrone
W 1-0 v Huntingdon
W 14-3 v Huntingdon
W 9-3 v East Pennsboro
L 4-1 v State College
W 18-3 v West Suburban
W 10-1 v State College
W 2-1 v State College
TOTALS: 66-16; 8.3-2 per game
Team Batting Average: .369; 36BB 41K 10HR
Team ERA: 1.50; 27BB 76K
Players to Watch: Christian Moyer: 12/18 9R 9RBI 4HR; Brayden Sapko: 18.0IP 9H 6ER 18BB 31K; Callan Baker: 10RBI 5HR
Hollidaysburg has the most recent success of any team in the state tournament, making it all the way to the LLWS in 2022. This year’s group is as strong as ever, producing a lot of power and potent pitching staff.
Their run began in District 11 against Tyrone. Tyrone loaded the bases in the first, but Brayden Sapko fanned the next two, one swinging and one looking, to keep Tyrone off the board. Hollidaysburg busted down the doors in the fourth, scoring six times. Christian Moyer got a bases loaded RBI single to third base. Callan Baker knocked in two runs on a ball lifted into left. Two errors scored two more runs. Moyer added a solo home run, one of his four deep flies in postseason play. In the winners bracket final of district play, Hollidaysburg faced Huntingdon. Baker and Holden Schneider combined to strikeout 11 batters, surrendering only two hits and four walks on the game. Hollidaysburg was also one-hit and batters struck out nine times. A passed ball would be the difference. In the third inning, Peyton Weimer walked with one out and was advanced on a groundout, as the third baseman had to make the throw to first. A misfire to Thomas Burke scored the game-winning run. HASB worked in and out of trouble, stranding eight Huntingdon runners on base. Baker struck out the last two batters with two on base to eke out the 1-0 win.
In a rematch with Huntingdon for the district title, it wasn’t close. Hollidaysburg rolled to the 14-3 win behind nine runs over the first two innings and a nine strikeout performance by Sapko. On a dropped third strike to Schneider, Brayden scored the second run of the inning. Baker hit a deep fly to center for a solo home run, his first of two on the day. Owen Jancula put a ball off the fence in right for an RBI triple, as well. Huntingdon quickly countered with three runs in their half of the first, but Hollidaysburg kept the pressure on. A two out rally got going when Blake Bowers walked and Shay Patel singled from the bottom of the lineup. As the lineup turned over, Max Piper doubled up the middle and Patel ended up scoring on a passed ball. Sapko knocked in two more with a single to center. Sapko and Baker each had 3RBI days and HASB was off to the section tournament.
A nip-and-tuck affair with East Pennsboro was broken open early by HASB. In the first, Hollidaysburg scored two runs without getting an RBI. An E2 and passed ball allowed two runs come in in Piper and Sapko. Those were quickly given back in the bottom of the inning, tying the game at 2-2. The teams exchanged runs again in the second before Hollidaysburg got down to business. Sapko again came through in the clutch, doubling up the middle to score Christian Moyer. Baker followed up with a 2RBI double and a Weimer infield RBI hit pushed the lead to 8-3. Sapko and Baker again combined to strikeout ten batters.
Hollidaysburg then found themselves in new territory, falling 4-1 to State College. Both teams went scoreless, with just one hit between them through three innings. Three straight singles from Patel, Piper and Moyer loaded the bases in the top of the fourth, but Sapko and Schneider were struck out to end the threat. Two walks and three hits were the undoing for Hollidaysburg in the bottom of the fourth, as State College scored all of its runs. Both teams loaded the bases again in the fifth, but only Hollidaysburg pushed across a run, courtesy of an RBI single from Burke. While both sides struck out 11 batters, State College emerged with the 4-1 win. Battling back through the elimination bracket, Hollidaysburg mauled West Suburban. Crooked numbers went up all over the place in the 18-3 rout. Bowers finished with 4RBI; Sapko and Burke each brought home three. Eleven walks and 13 hits pushed HASB to the title series, where they would again meet State College.
In the first battle, it was a Hollidaysburg home run derby. Baker hit two, Holden S hit one, and Moyer blasted three out of the park. Moyer ended up with 5RBI. Sapko was the winning pitcher, going 5.1 innings and striking out seven. Six of Hollidaysburg’s hits were home runs and the decisive if-game was forced. This one was a grudge match. State College flashed the leather first via a first inning-ending triple play, 6-4-3 on a liner. Weimer would be the first to score, coming in on a passed ball with two outs in the third. State College countered with a leadoff solo home run in the bottom half. Sapko and Schneider each struck out with two on in the fourth to strand a pair. Baker launched a solo shot in the fifth, leading off the inning with the deep fly to center and pushing Hollidaysburg ahead 2-1. Piper struck out the side in the sixth to advance Hollidaysburg to states.
Hollidaysburg faces another strong power lineup from Abington in a 10:00AM matchup that will open up states.
Abington(10-1)
Manager: Paul Keeler
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2011
Last State Championship: N/A
W 13-0 v North Pocono
W 11-1 v Dunmore
W 23-4 v West Scranton
W 4-3 v Moosic
W 10-5 v Moosic
W 16-0 v West Scranton
W 13-0 v Moosic
W 12-0 v Greater Pittston
W 9-2 v Kingston/Forty Fort
L 3-2 v Kingston/Forty Fort
W 10-3 v Kingston/Forty Fort
TOTAL: 123-21; 11.1-1.9 per game
Team Batting Average: .457; 48BB 40K 11HR
Team ERA: 1.66; 32BB 89K
Players to Watch: Max Vazquez: 18/30 27RBI 3BB 3K 10HR, 19.0IP 11H 2ER 5BB 44K; Penn Eckenrode: 14/25 10R 9RBI 1HR, 10.2IP 14H 6ER 3BB 14K
Abington comes to states from District 17. Their road to Fairchance has been the longest, with eleven games played. We won’t go game-by-game due to how many extra ones they played, but the sample size for their statistics is a bit larger than the other seven teams. Max V immediately stands out in the tournament with ten(yes, 10) home runs to his name and 27RBI. His work on the mound is also looking stellar, walking five and striking out 44.
Abington opened district play against North Pocono. Just two batters into the tournament, Max Vazquez made his presence felt, homering to deep left and putting Abington ahead 2-0. Penn Eckenrode, Lucas Deschaine and Grady Tomachick put together consecutive RBI hits in the third to put their team ahead 7-0. They continued to tack on for a 13-0 victory. Dylan Lyle and Justin Johnson combined to fan seven and allow three hits. The routs would continue with an 11-1 win over Dunmore and 23-4 drubbing of West Scranton. Vazquez and Eckenrode struck out ten Dunmore batters and held their lineup to two hits. Against West Scranton, three first inning runs scored on passed balls before Jaxon Hizny delivered a 2RBI single to left, pushing the lead to 6-0. Vazquez hit a 2-run home run, in what would become a common occurrence for him. Twelve walks and 17 hits, along with 4RBI efforts from Vazquez and Hizny contributed to the blowout.
District pool play concluded with a nail-biter against Moosic. Vazquez again took the mound, striking out 12 and hitting a solo shot out beyond the center field fence for a 1-0 early lead. Three consecutive walks helped Abington load the bases in the third, but the only run that came home was on a passed ball. Moosic pulled ahead 3-2 in the fifth before Deschaine and Oliver Giroux led off the sixth with singles. Vazquez was understandably intentionally walked, but behind him, James Kane doubled to left, bringing the tying and winning runs in for a walk off victory.
In the bracket portion of D17 play, Moosic and West Scranton became more familiar opponents. After falling behind in game one against Moosic 3-0, Abington exploded for a six run third. Hizny came into score on a wild pitch and Kane doubled home two more on a fly ball over the fielder’s head in right that tied the game at 3-3. Vazquez popped one over the fence in left, contributing his usual home run and 3RBI. Lyle extricated himself from a bases loaded no outs situation in the fourth by striking out the next three batters and keeping Moosic at bay. Following another intentional walk to Vazquez, it was Eckenrode that cleared the bases on a double to the fence in right. Against West Scranton, Abington put up an 11-run third inning. Vazquez homered twice in the inning, leading off with a solo shot and then later knocking a 3-run bomb over the center field fence. It was then time for a final meeting with Moosic for the district title. Vazquez fanned nine in a complete game effort, as Abington rolled 13-0. Vazquez ballooned the lead from 3-0 to 6-0 on another long ball after Julian McDonough and Kane notched base hits. Vazquez ended his evening with 5RBI and Deschaine added two.
In sectionals, the big hits were rarely stopped. Greater Pittston became the next victim, as Vazquez added another multi-home run game to his resume. His grand slam on a line drive shot to left ended the game in the run rule, part of a 6RBI effort. Hizny and Lyle combined to fan seven in a no-hitter. In the winners bracket final, Eckenrode was roughed up for two early runs against Kingston/Forty Fort. Eckenrode tied the game in the third on an RBI single that scored Vazquez. Giroux put Abington ahead for good with an RBI single through short. Eckenrode hit a solo home run in the sixth to tack on.
Kingston/Forty Fort came back through the elimination bracket for a rematch in the title series. An error at third base was the difference, as KFF walked it off 3-2 to force the if-game. In the decisive matchup, Abington went ahead 7-0 after three innings. Vazquez hit a 2RBI shot to deep right, making it 4-0. Abington pounded out 18 hits to KFF’s six.
With, by far, the highest batting average in the tournament, Abington is an obvious threat to make a deep run. Vazquez will have to be held in check by solid pitching, as intentional walks won’t always be an option and there is plenty of talent behind him. With a pitching staff that averages 8 strikeouts per game, it will take a big effort to get by this squad. Abington opens up against Hollidaysburg at 10:00AM on Monday.
Pennridge(7-0)
Manager: Nate Ritter
Last State Tournament Appearance: N/A
Last State Championshio: N/A
W 10-0 v North Beth
W 8-2 v HLS
W 7-3 v Lehigh
W 10-3 v Lehigh
W 11-2 v Council Rock Newtown
W 12-2 v Franklin Township
W 4-3 v Council Rock Newtown
TOTAL: 62-15; 8.9-2.1 per game
Team Batting Average: .372; 29BB 40K 27SB 2E 9HR
Team ERA: 2.00; 14BB 58K
Players to Watch: Jordan Ritter: 9/19 10R 11RBI 3HR, 12.0IP 8H 2ER 6BB 23K; Jackson Funk: 13.0IP 13H 7ER 3BB 14K; Martin Wiren: 12/17 6R 10RBI 2BB 3K 3HR
Section 6 and District 20 is where this site originates and would be considered the ‘home team’ for this author. Rather than again recap Pennridge here, we’ll provide links to our in-depth articles that involved Pennridge in their District 20 and Section 6 run:
Glen Moore Eagle(7-0)
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2010(Eastern PA Divisional Tournament)
Last State Championship: N/A
W 22-0 v Oxford
W 15-1 v East Side
W 4-0 v West Side
W 5-1 v Downingtown West
W 10-0 v Warwick
W 4-0 v Dillsburg
W 5-2 v Dillsburg
TOTALS: 65-4; 9.3-0.6 per game
Team Batting Average: .430; 32BB 34K 4HR
Team ERA: 0.17; 14BB 50K
Players to Watch: Ethan Herbein: 8/16 7R 9RBI 1HR, 14.0IP 7H 1ER 3BB 23K; Macallen Chervenka: 7/10 5R 6RBI 1HR
That’s right. Glenmoore Eagle has only allowed four total runs in seven games. That number alone has to be rather concerning for state opponents. With a pitching staff Ethan Herbein has anchored the pitching staff, throwing 14 of the team’s 35 innings. GEYA has split up the rest of the innings in tiny chunks amongst six other strikeout-minded pitchers. And it doesn’t hurt that three of the team’s seven games have ended in the run rule.
District play began against Oxford and Glenmoore was ready. Seventeen hits and eight walks led to 22 runners crossing home plate over three innings. Nine players had at least an RBI. Justin Shaw hit a solo home run in the first, following a Malek Kalavik double that scored two despite a play at the plate. Herbein cracked a 3-run home run in the second, pushing the lead to 10-0, part of his 5RBI evening. Franky Kolter checked in with 3RBI. A ten run third inning lifted GEYA past East Side. Sixteen more hits were racked up by the powerful lineup. Justin Shaw hit a 2RBI single to left in the first and Herbein added an RBI single in the second. Seven RBI hits were compiled in the third, as Glenmoore batters mostly went station to station. The game ended after four innings in the run rule.
West Side was next up, and Glenmoore scored early. After being part of a 6-4-3 double play in the top of the inning, Karavik notched an RBI hit to right field and was quickly followed by a Shaw 2-run double. Nick Bongiorni and Kolter kept things moving and those four runs held up over the entire game. Shaw and Herbein each pitched an inning after Aiden Mercer pitched four fabulous innings of one-hit ball. Herbein struck out the side in his inning of work.
Glenmoore Eagle used another stellar pitching performance to get by Downingtown West in the District championship game. Herbein went 5.2 innings and struck out eight while allowing just three hits and a walk. Despite striking out 21 times over two games, Glenmoore was a district champion. Herbein provided the first and game winning RBI hit when two scored on his line drive to left.
The pitching did not experience any letdown in sectional play after two weeks off from tournament play. Nick Bongiorni pitched 2.2 innings of no-hit ball against Warwick Grayson Barrett finished up the final four outs, sandwiched around walking two. The bats got to work early, scoring five in the first. It was a 2RBI night for Kalavik, Shaw and Bongiorni. A very strong Dillsburg team that knocked off section host Greencastle was the next shutout victim. Mercer and Herbein came together to hold Dillsburg to two hits in the team’s fourth contest that saw the opponent go scoreless. After stranding five through the first two innings, GEYA finally broke through in the fourth. Gabe Mackiewicz hit a 2-run home run to center. Three batters later, Macallen Chervenka did the same, providing for the 4-0 final score.
The two squads met up again in the Section 7 title series. Dillsburg jumped out to a 2-0 first inning lead, hoping to stifle the Glenmoore offense. Ten of the first twelve pitches delivered from Dillsburg, though, were balls that quickly loaded the bases. Shaw grounded out to short and a run came home, while two more moved up into scoring position. Despite another walk to reload the bags, Dillsburg gout out of major trouble and maintained the 2-1 lead. Mercer provided the go-ahead RBI hit in the third, scoring Barrett. A bases loaded walk in the fourth provided a big insurance run and Bongiorni doubled home another to cap the scoring. Herbein threw a complete game two-hitter and struck out ten.
Glenmoore Eagle will cap off the first day at Fairchance when they face Hermitage at 7:00.
Morrisville(7-1)
Last State Tournament Appearance: 2016
Last State Championship: 1955
W 11-1 v Middletown-Neshaminy
W 20-1 v Bristol
W 17-0 v Middletown-Neshaminy
W 2-1 Newtown-Edgemont
L 3-2 v Radnor/Wayne
W 14-0 v Plymouth
W 3-2 v Radnor/Wayne
W 4-1 v Radnor/Wayne
TOTAL: 73-9; 9.1-1.1 per game
Team Batting Average: .369; 40BB 37K 3HR
Team ERA: 0.63; 15BB 46K
Players to Watch: Sean Kerner: 11/22 10R 7RBI, 10.0IP 4H 1ER 2BB 10K; Raphael Lockhart: 7/18 10R 8RBI 3BB 3HR
Morrisville joins the other state tournament teams, coming from a very difficult section 8 comprised of Philadelphia and its surrounding areas. Morrisville features very good defense and the ability to win close, low-scoring games.
District 21, though, was full of blowouts. Morrisville upended Middletown/Neshaminy 11-1, using a 5-run first inning to quickly bury their first opponent. After Middletown loaded the bases in their half of the first with nobody out, Cade Crozier snagged a liner at short and Sean Kerner earned an inning ending strikeout. Raphael Lockhart crushed a 3-run homer to center to set the tone. Jake Triolo provided an RBI double up the middle. Lockhart added a solo home run late, making the score 10-1. Kerner and Mac Pesci gave up three hits and struck out six.
The team only needed two turns at bat to dispatch of Bristol in a 20-1 laugher. The first seven runs all scored with two outs in the first inning. Callum Kush cleared the bases early, knocking in three runs with his drive to center. Gavin Blum placed one in left that scored two more. Kush came through with another big hit in the second, tripling to the wall in left and scoring three more for a 6RBI day at the office. Brayden Gillen flex his muscle on the mound, going two innings and striking out five.
The district title game was a rematch with Middletown, and the result was very similar. This time, Morrisville scored nine in the third to help force the run rule after three full innings. Kerner went 3/3 with three runs scored and three knocked in. Crozier threw the abbreviated complete game, striking out seven in a no-hitter.
The competition stiffened significantly in Section 8 play. First up was Newtown-Edgmont. Cade Crozier got Morrisville on the board first with a two out infield single that scored Kerner. Lorenzo Molina, from the bottom of the lineup, laid down a third inning bunt back to the pitcher that increased the lead to 2-0 when Jase Ruckel scored. NELL was held hitless into the fourth inning, when they got a single but stranded the runner. After a solo home run got Newtown on the board, they had some fifth inning momentum That was shutdown by a couple of Blum catches in right field and a liner to to Crozier at short. Kerner fanned two in the sixth to hold NELL at bay and get the 2-1 victory.
Radnor/Wayne was the only team to this point that turned the tables on Morrisville. Two singles were all that the offense mustered through four innings. In the fifth, trailing 3-0, Jake Triolo and Mac Pesci got back-to-back RBI hits to cut the deficit to 3-2. With two on and two out in the sixth, Crozier popped out to shallow right field, sending Morrisville to its first postseason loss.
Frustrations were taken out on Plymouth in a 14-0 rout. With ten hits and six walks, Morrisville was on its way to the title series for a rematch with Radnor/Wayne. In the second inning, Morrisville loaded the bases. Only one run ended up scoring on a passed ball that saw Crozier go home. Lockhart got out of a bases loaded jam in the bottom half of the inning with a strikeout. Ruckel scored in the third on another passed ball to run the score to 2-0. Lockhart also scored on a passed ball in the third, putting Morrisville back ahead of a rallying RWLL squad. In the bottom of the fourth and trailing 3-1, Radnor Wayne got two in scoring position with nobody out. Brayden Gillen snagged two foul balls beyond the first base line and Pesci got a strikeout to quell any RWLL momentum that was building. With the 3-2 win secured soon after, Section 8 saw an if-game.
Keeping with the theme from the first title game, Morrisville plated its first run on a wild pitch. Pesci knocked in another. A bases loaded walk to Ruckel forced in Callum Kush and put Morrisville ahead 3-0. Kerner scored on a fourth inning passed ball to stretch the lead to 4-0. Gillen went the distance on 85 pitches, with no earned runs against him and having surrendered just four hits. With the 4-1 victory, Morrisville had survived arguably one of the toughest sections in the state and will now take on Keystone at 4:00 Monday in Fairchance.
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