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Mifflin County slips to 0-2 in regional

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. – After the first inning on Thursday morning, it looked like Mifflin County was in good shape.

The local 14-year-old Babe Ruth team led 3-1 and came out pounding the ball against the Eastern New York runner-up North Colonie.

But games in the postseason, especially in the Mid-Atlantic Babe Ruth regional, are not usually won in the first inning. And neither was this one.

North Colonie came back and won 6-4.

Mifflin County now has its back to the wall as it is 0-2 in pool play and faces Metro-New York champion Next Millenium at 5 p.m. today. Next Millenium is 2-0 headed into the early evening contest.

Mifflin County finished Thursday’s contest with seven hits; four of those came in the first inning.

North Colonie took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on one hit and a Mifflin County error. In fact, Mifflin County did not have a great day defensively as it committed three miscues in the game while the New York team played flawless ball.

In the bottom of the inning, Mifflin County came right back and put three runs on the scoreboard. Cade Attick led off with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch. It didn’t long for Kenny Cavanaugh to get Attick home as he singled. Ty Bodtorf followed with another base hit and it looked like Mifflin County was in for a big game with the bats.

The next batter struck out before Jordan Marshall drew a walk to load the bases and then Damon Jasper ripped a double to the wall, scoring two runs. Tyler Bedelyon flew out to left field and when Marshall tried to score, he was out at the plate for the second out on the play and the third of the frame.

Gage Boreman led off the second with a bunt for a base hit and Trent Hidlay sacrificed him to second. But that was it for Mifflin County until the fifth inning. North Colonie’s Denzel Mills retired 12 men in a row after Hidlay’s sacrifice.

“Nothing fell in for us today,” said Kevin Reigle, the Mifflin County manager. “We hit the ball hard, but it was right at someone. We had three runs early and then the offense stopped.”

Finally, in the fifth, Mifflin County got a runner on base and scored again.

After a fly ball by Bodtorf to left, Isaac Maclay doubled. Nick Poche was hit by a pitch and Logan Peachey drew a walk to load the bases. Jake Spickler then towered a ball to left field and Maclay scored on the sacrifice fly.

Mills went out for Joe Duda after the Peachey walk. Duda walked Boreman, but Hidlay hit into a fielder’s choice to end the inning and the Mifflin County threat.

Duda got the first two outs of the seventh before Bodtorf singled. But Maclay grounded out to second to end the game.

North Colonie tied the game in the third inning, 3-3, on three hits. Then in the fifth, North Colonie took a 4-3 lead on a walk, a single and a Mifflin County error. In the sixth, the Eastern New York runners-up picked what turned out to be two important insurance runs. Ethan Eichelman spoiled the Mifflin County day with a two-out, two-run single. Eichelman, hitting out of the No. 2 spot, had three hits (3-for-3), scored a run and drove in the important final two runs.

Bodtorf went the distance for Mifflin County. He gave up eight hits, struck out four and walked three.

Notes: Botdorf was Mifflin County’s only multiple hitter with two. … Mifflin County’s record in games played in New York state fell to 20-15. Against Eastern New York, Mifflin County is now 6-5. … Host Clifton Park beat North Colonie in the Eastern New York championship game. … This was Mifflin County’s first game in August since 2009. The Mifflin County 13-year-olds started the 2013 tournament trail on June 29. Since then in all age divisions, Mifflin County’s record by month is June, 34-3; July, 513-206 and August, 62-58. … The game was moved ahead to 9 a.m. from its scheduled 11 a.m. start due to pending rain storms in the Albany, N.Y., area.

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