Sentinel photo by BOB HOCKENBROCK Mifflin County’s Parker Crownover avoids the tag at the plate for the score.

By Aaden Stevens

Sports correspondent

LEWISTOWN — Mifflin County hosted the Trojans from Mount Union on Friday afternoon for a baseball showdown. The Huskies, on a two-game winning streak, made it a three-game streak ​by taking this contest, 4-0.

​Husky sophomore Liam Shaffer got his first-ever start at the varsity level, and he looked like a seasoned player with how he commanded the game. Going all seven innings, allowing only just two hits and zero runs in the game.

Shaffer mentioned what kept him zoned in during the game, ” I’d say the support from my teammates. I mean, I had a lot of nerves coming to this game, and I just came out here, let my teammates work and do what they do.”

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Mifflin County got off the gun blazing as junior Karl Shirey led off the bottom of the second with a single the other way. The following batter, Easton Lepley, hit a ball to second, but Shirey took off on a hit and run, which put runners on the corners for third baseman Lincoln Ruble. Rubel on the first pitch, put one right under the third baseman’s glove, which scored the first runs of the game. After a balk, both Lepley and Ruble were in scoring position when shortstop Maddox Hobbs made a throwing error going home, which scored both of the Huskies, making it 3-0.

Then, in the bottom of the third inning, designated hitter Chase Leister drew a walk, bringing Karl Shirey up to the plate for the second time in two innings. He roped a double the other way. This is his third RBI double of the season, bringing Leister all the way home for the Huskies’ fourth and final run of the game.

Head coach of the Huskies, Ray Hoppel, talked about the recent hitting success for the purple and white.

“Well, I think we got a couple of key hits against Cedar Cliff, and that sort of started to spread some confidence throughout the lineup. And even though I felt like we left a couple of guys, we left some runs out there today, we got some big hits when it counted,” Hoppel noted.

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Mount Union head coach Tim Hicks discussed his team’s performance.

“I just told the guys that over there, you know, this is why we play. You know, we want to play against bigger schools. We want to see quality teams, quality, you know, hitters, quality arms. And, you know, it kind of shows us, you know, where we stand. I thought we played well. I thought we battled. We kept ourselves in the game. And, you know, obviously, we got some work to do, offensively, to figure out, you know, when we see guys that throw the ball really well. Really quality pitcher. So go back to work next week.”

​Mifflin County improves to 4-3 on the season, and they play Tuesday night versus the Eagles from Cumberland Valley. Mount Union dropped to 8-3 and will take on Huntingdon at home on Friday.

FROM STAFF REPORTS

TENNIS

Eagles tame Huskies

MECHANICSBURG — Mifflin County tennis dropped a road contest to Cumberland Valley on Friday, 5-0.

Husky Aiden Newlen came up short in his singles matchup, 6-2, 7-6. Logan Breneman fell 6-2, 6-2. Mason Kaniecki lost, 7-5, 6-4, in a tough battle.

In doubles action, Reese Hine and Luke Foltz fell, 6-0, 6-1. Morgan Crader and Max Persing lost, 0-6, 7-6, 10-6.

The Huskies (6-6) host Central Dauphin on Monday.

SOFTBALL

Wildcats edge Huskies, 6-5

MILL HALL — Mifflin County dropped to 1-6 on the softball season after falling to Central Mountain on Friday night, 6-5.

The Wildcats earned a walk-off win by plating two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

After trailing 3-1, the Huskies scored four times in the fifth frame to take a 5-3 advantage.

But the Wildcats scored once in the fifth before tacking on two more in the final stanza.

The Wildcats had six hits with two errors. The Huskies had eight hits with five errors.

Mifflin County has lost three of four and will meet Cumberland Valley on Tuesday.