By RAY WILDE

Sports correspondent

BELLEFONTE — The Mifflin County Babe Ruth 15-16-year-old All-Stars finished second in the state to West End of Williamsport, Monday night, in the Pennsylvania state tournament.

On Monday, Mifflin County edged Altoona, 4-3, in the semifinals and then lost to West End, 11-1, in the state finals. The All-Stars, however, are not done playing as they will advance to the Mid-Atlantic Regionals starting on July 15 in Williamsport.

During the weekend, Mifflin County increased a few more of its state Babe Ruth records. Mifflin County has now appeared in 53 state finals, has 28 state runners-up and has appeared in 89 Pennsylvania Babe Ruth final fours.

West End now has won 18 state titles including the 14-year-olds this year, which took place over the weekend. Mifflin County still holds the record for most state titles with 25.

The win against Altoona was a landmark victory as it was the league’s 775th win (775-356).

MIFFLIN COUNTY 4, ALTOONA 3

BELLEFONTE — Thad Gerwick came to the rescue just in time.

Gerwick came to the mound in the fifth inning with the score tied, 3-3, and a runner on second base and no outs. Altoona had hit back-to-back doubles.

The new Mifflin County pitcher promptly got three outs in a hurry. The first batter he faced grounded back to the first baseman, who tossed to Gerwick covering the bag for the first out. Gerwick then struck out the next two batters.

In the sixth, Mifflin County made three straight defensive plays that would be highlights in any game, more or less than in one inning.

The first man up for Altoona in the inning smashed a ball to right field and Liam Shaffer, the MC right fielder, threw him out at first base. Trayven Davis, the next batter for Altoona, hit a high pop up behind home plate that Luke Shawver, the MC catcher, caught for the second out.

The next man up got a single, but Nate Phillips then hit a line shot between second and third that Carson Cherry raced over and got and threw to second for a forceout to end the inning.

“Thad (Gerwick) came in and shut them down,” said Travis Parkes, the Mifflin County manager. “Then in the sixth we had three above average defensive plays in a row.”

“We were aggressive on the base paths. Sometimes it worked and sometimes it didn’t.”

Mifflin County scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth. Shaffer reached first on a base hit. Shawver followed with a walk and Bo Benny moved them up with a bunt. Shaffer then scored when the Altoona catcher threw the ball away trying to get Shaffer out at third base.

Karl Shirey started for Mifflin County on the mound. He gave up three runs on nine hits. Shirey walked two and struck out four.

Mifflin County had 12 hits. Wyatt Parkes led the way with three. Shirey and Benny each had two hits.

In the first inning, Mifflin County had two hits, Wyatt Parkes and Shirey each had singles. Jaden King drew a walk. Cherry reached on a fielder’s choice and picked up an RBI. The other run scored when King and Carson pulled off a double steal and King came home. Benny picked up Mifflin County’s third run with an RBI double in the second inning.

Cherry had Mifflin County’s only other extra-base hit, a double in the fifth.

WEST END 11, MIFFLIN COUNTY 1

BELLEFONTE — West End of Williamsport’s 15-16-year-old All-Star team was as good as advertised. Last year, this group as 15-year-olds went to the World Series and in 2022 as 13-year-olds they also went to a World Series.

West End is the favored team to win the Mid-Atlantic regionals, which they will host later this month. As 13-year-olds in 2022, West End went 4-2 in the World Series and they also had the same record last summer.

The championship game on Monday lasted six innings before it was called because of the 10-run rule. Mifflin County was the first team to take West End into the sixth inning during the state tournament.

Coming into the championship game, Mifflin County was averaging 11 hits a game. Monday night, they got just three.

All three hits came in the third inning. Bo Benny reached on an error and then Karl Shirey, Jaden King and Carson Cherry all got hits. Benny scored when Wyatt Parkes reached on a fielder’s choice. King laid down a perfect bunt to get his base hit.

The big difference in the game was the pitching of West End. Trey Drumsbaker went the first four innings. He gave up one run on three hits and struck out five. West End then brought in their closer, Brier Persing, who struck out six of seven batters. Cherry was the only Mifflin County batter to reach base and he got there on an error to lead off the sixth.

Drumsbaker was the top hitter in the tournament, going 11-for-13.

“I’m very pleased with the team (Mifflin County),” said Parkes. “West End was and is a very good team. These boys (Mifflin County) have been playing together since they were 8 or 9 years old. We battled the whole three days. I’m proud of what they did. Hopefully, we will play that hard in Williamsport.”