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MC 13s move on again

ALTOONA — The Mifflin County Babe Ruth 13-year-old coaching staff had a plan for its game with Valley of Syracuse (Western New York runner-up).

The plan was to get all the players in and use three pitchers without adding to their pitch counts.

But, Valley surprised Mifflin County and took the local All-Stars to the brink before Mifflin County pulled out the 6-3 win.

Mifflin County finished pool play with a 3-1 record and earned the top seed. It will have Wednesday off and will play on Thursday at 8 p.m. against the winner of the today’s game between Sorensco (Eastern New York) and West End, Williamsport. The other quarter final game has Centre County taking on Marlton (Southern New Jersey) at 5 p.m.

This marks the 13th time that a Mifflin County team has made it to a Mid-Atlantic Rgional final four. It also marks the first time for Mifflin County manager, Bill Corbin, that he has guided a team to regional final four.

In the game on Tuesday, Mifflin County relied on their starting pitcher, Hunter Bailey.

Bailey pitched into the sixth inning before giving way to Aidan Everly.

Bailey gave up just five hits and three runs, striking out four and walking three. Everly came on and finished the sixth and gave up a hit and a walk in the seventh, but kept Valley off the scoreboard.

“Hunter (Bailey) pitched a real nice game,” said Corbin, the Mifflin County manager, “We had this plan before the game as to what we wanted to do with our pitchers and we wanted to get all the players a chance to get into the game. We got all the players in, but we just couldn’t get a big enough lead to bring in any other pitchers. Hunter (Bailey) did the job.”

Mifflin County opened the game in strong fashion as Deakon Scheaffer singled and stole second and Caden Wolfley ripped a triple for a 1-0 lead. Trevor Sheaffer then lashed a single for a 2-0 margin.

Valley closed the gap to 2-1 in the third, but in the fifth Mifflin County added two more runs.

Wolfley walked, stole second and went to third on throwing error by the pitcher Ethan Snyder.

One out later Xavier Smith walked. Ryan Hine was sent into pinch run. Hine moved up on a stolen base. Kanagy brought home Wolfley with a base hit and Eichhorn scored Hine on a ground out.

Valley kept pace with Mifflin County as it scored twice in the fifth with two runs making it 4-3.

Finally, Mifflin County put two insurance runs on the scoreboard in the sixth making the final score, 6-3.

With two outs, Deakon Scheaffer reached on an error and stole second and third. Parker Kearns walked and stole second. But the Kearns walk was the first of four as Trevor Sheaffer drew a base on balls to load the bases. Hine and Trace Brought also walked getting RBI’s.

Mifflin County only had five hits, Deakon Scheaffer, Smith. Kanagy and Bailey had singles and the triple from Wolfley. Snyder, the Valley pitcher, had a great outing until he ran out of pitches in the sixth. He gave up the five hits. He struck out three and walked four.

Mifflin County was aided on defense by two double plays. In the first inning the infield of Landen Eichhorn (shortstop), Tucker Gill (second base) and Cole Shutt (first base) turned a 6-4-3 twin killing.

Then in the third inning, Valley’s Jack Landau flew out to center field and the Mifflin County center fielder, Deakon Scheaffer, caught the ball and threw home on a perfect toss to catcher, Ryan Kanagy, for a double play as Ryan Sherwood tried to score from third.

NOTES – The two Western New York teams went 0-8 in pool play and gave up 74 runs…….When Mifflin County beat Marlton (Southern New Jersey) on Monday it was Mifflin County’s 600th win in the month of July. Here is the breakdown month by month for Mifflin County: June 39-5; July 601-246 and August, 74-62……..Mifflin County now has an 11-3 record against Western New York…….Mifflin County is now 65-46 in Mid-Atlantic play.

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