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LOCK HAVEN -- The Mifflin County Babe Ruth 15-year-old All-Star manager, Bill Corbin, likes to make sure his pitching depth is ready and well rested and he will use as many pitchers as necessary to win a game.
On Monday in Mifflin County's come from behind win over Broomall-Newtown, Landen Eichhorn came in relief to gain the victory with five scoreless innings.
On Tuesday, Corbin used three pitchers, but it was the last one, Trace Brought, that shut the door on Altoona.
Mifflin County won the game, 10-5, and earned the top spot in pool play in the Pennsylvania state tournament. Mifflin County was the only team to finish undefeated (4-0).
It will play today at 2 p.m. in the state's final four. It will play Ashland.
The game had historic numbers for the league and Corbin. This marked the 80th time that a Mifflin County team has made the state's final four. For Corbin it marked his 100th All-Star win. He now has a 100-41 record in All-Star play. The only other Mifflin County manager to get 100 victories in the postseason was Fred Zook, who finished with a 102-39 mark.
"I thought we had some momentum coming in off that win on Monday," Corbin said. "I used Trace (Brought) a lot during our regular season (Belleville) and he pitched pretty well. He did a good job today."
Mifflin County's bats came alive in just three innings, the first, fourth and seventh. In those three innings, Mifflin County produced 10 runs on 12 hits.
Deakon Schaeffer opened the game with a double, Trevor Sheaffer reached on a fielder's choice and Xavier Smith singled. Ryan Kanagy had a ground out RBI and Garrett Leitzel had a run producing base hit. When Doug Weaver struck out, he reached first on a passed ball and Leitzel scored.
In the fourth, Mifflin County batted around (MC used 10 men as it used an extra-hitter on Tuesday). Mifflin County had five hits and two walks. Ryan Hine and Deakon Schaeffer each had RBI singles.
Mifflin County added two insurance runs in the seventh. Smith and Kanagy each had hits and Kanagy's had the crowd roaring as he beat out an infield single. Tucker Gill knocked both of them home with a double.
Five Mifflin County players ended with two hits, Schaeffer, Smith, Kanagy and Gill, who had two doubles and Hine.
Hine got the win with three innings of work and Hunter Bailey went one inning.
NOTES: On Monday, Mifflin County won by a walk off wild pitch. For manager Bill Corbin, it was not the first time that he has seen a Mifflin County win by a wild pitch. In 2004, at the 15-year-old World Series against Calgary in Longview, Washington, Josh McKay scored the winning run as they were trying to intentionally walk a batter………Mifflin County's opponent today, Ashland will be the 131st different league Mifflin County has gone up against. It will be 98th from Pennsylvania.