MILROY - For the first four innings of the Mifflin County-Perry County Babe Ruth 14-year-old game on Tuesday night, it looked like it was headed to historic significance.
At least from the standpoint of Mifflin County.
Mifflin County's Alex Hackenberg had a no-hitter and a 13-0 lead going into the top of the fifth inning. Not only was Hackenberg working the no-hitter, but the shutout would have been the league's 100th in All-Star play.
Perry County, however, would have none of it. The visiting club made sure the history part of the game would come another day as it broke up the no-hitter and the shutout in the top of the fifth.
It forced Mifflin County to score a run in the bottom of the sixth to win the game early, 14-4, and in the process give Mifflin County the District 7 title.
For Scott Wright, the Mifflin County manager, the game was a learning experience - he will now take his team into the state tournament starting July 19 at Armagh Memorial Field.
"Alex had an outstanding outing," Wright said, "He was going to stay until he gave up a hit. It was really hard taking him out, but I had to do it for the team. We had to learn a few things about ourselves.
"One thing we learned is that we can't sleep on a big lead," Wright said, "So far this has been a whole team effort, not only from our coaches and players, but from the parents, too."
Perry County's Mike Brown broke up the no-hitter and then Hackenberg exited, giving way to Graham Rhoades. However, the new Mifflin County pitcher couldn't find the plate and after three walks and a single, Drew Harshbarger came on and closed out the game as he gave up two walks and a hit over the final two innings of work.
Mifflin County won the game in the bottom of the sixth as Ty Hunter and Isaiah Kearns each walked with one out and Hackenberg then singled Hunter home, scoring the 14th run and ending the game.
Up until the fifth inning, however, it was all Mifflin County.
In the first, Tyler Powell led off with a double and Aaron Sharp and Kearns reached on errors as two runs scored. Hackenberg singled, but was later thrown out at third. Peyton Reesman singled home a run and Harshbarger grounded out scoring Mifflin County's fourth run.
After two outs in the second, Mifflin County rallied for two more runs thanks to four straight hits from the middle of the line-up. Kearns, Hackenberg, Reesman and Harshbarger strung three singles and a double - Kearns had the two-bagger - to score the runs. Hackenberg and Harshbarger each had RBIs.
Mifflin County scored four more times in the third. Kearns knocked in two runs with a single and Reesman also picked up an RBI.
In the fourth, Hunter had the big hit for Mifflin County, a two run single as it built its lead to 13-0.
Hackenberg and Reesman each had three hits, while Kearns finished with two. Kearns and Nate Earnest each had doubles.
Hackenberg finished with five strike outs, one walk and gave up one hit. Perry County committed six errors, while Mifflin County had an errorless game.
