By RAY WILDE

Sports correspondent

BELLEVILLE — Reedsville and Belleville have been battling each other in the Mifflin County Babe Ruth League for years, 72 to be exact.

Through the many seasons, the two franchises have gone at each other for numerous league titles. In 1971, Reedsville beat Belleville in a game played in September for the league title. Reedsville stopped Belleville from winning the league title in 1978 in a three-game playoff. In the 1992-1993 seasons, the two teams went against each other with Belleville winning the league title in 1992 and Reedsville winning in 1993. Then in 2001, Belleville beat Reedsville for the title in a one-game playoff. The two teams have won over 800 games over the last 60 years.

On Monday, the stakes were not as high, but the two teams were battling for second place. Belleville won the game, 11-5, and moved its record to 9-4. Reedsville is now 11-4 and is two games behind league leading Beaver Springs (13-2). Beaver Springs received a forfeit from McVeytown.

The big inning for Belleville came in the third when it scored seven times to go ahead, 11-0.

Belleville had four hits in the inning as Levi Sharp, Carter Sunderland, Luke Hale and Gage Geissinger kept the rally alive. Gessinger had an RBI double. Reedsville aided Belleville with three errors, a walk and a wild pitch that scored a run.

Reedsville made a small comeback by scoring five runs in the middle innings. Reedsville only had five hits. Cam Kauffman had two, while Karter Kanagy, Jude Zook and JaxonParkes each had one.

Sunderland led Belleville with three hits including a double and a triple. Belleville finished with nine hits.

Reagan Varner was the winning pitcher. He pitched into the fourth inning. Varner gave up one run, two hits, walked three and struck out two. Belleville used three other pitchers, Mason Joyce, Levi Sharp and Isiah Sharp. On defense, Belleville didn’t commit an error and turned in two double plays.

The lone bright spot for Reedsville was the relief pitching of Jaxson Parkes, who threw three scoreless innings and gave up one hit and one walk.

BELLTOWN 18, STRODES MILLS 9

BELLTOWN–Belltown won its sixth game out of its last seven and moved into fifth place with an 18-3 victory over Strodes Mills. The game ended after five innings due to the 10-run rule. Belltown is now 8-7.

Belltown pounded out 17 hits with Kale Beaver leading the way with three. Tanner Shawver, Greyson Peters, Jacob Walters, Jadon Tate and Maddox Smith each had two. Walters had a triple and Beaver and Lukle Shawver each had a double.

Belltown used only two pitchers with Peters getting the start and the win. Tate closed out the game for Belltown.

Strodes Mills had four singles from Jackson Briar, Karson Goss, Zaymon Hutchinson and Draven Lewis.

BURNHAM 11, LEWISTOWN 0

LEWISTOWN–Burnham’s Liam Shaffer tossed a no-hitter in the opening game of a doubleheader with Lewistown. Burnham won 11-0 in five innings due to the 10-run rule..

Shaffer had a complete game as he walked one, hit one batter and struck out 11.

Burnham was led by Chase Benfer with three hits.. Shaffer and Cohen Leister each had two. Leister had two triples and Benfer had a double.

BURNHAM 10, LEWISTOWN 9

LEWISTOWN–Burnham edged Lewistown, 10-9, in the second game of the doubleheader.

Burnham is now 8-5, one game behind Belleville, in fourth place.

Burnham led 10-7 after five innings and Lewistown made it close with two runs in the seventh.

Liam Shaffer started the second game and went one inning. Chase Benfer pitched the middle innings and got the win. Brody Keefer finished the game for Burnham.

Lewistown had 10 hits with Chris Ritter getting three including two doubles. Blake Cunningham and Crue Kochenddefer each had two hits. Landon Cunningham also had an extra base hit for Lewistown, a double.

Burnham finished with six hits. Cohen Leister had two, while Noah Wolfkiel, Noah Wray, Jacob Hegemyer and Brody Keefer each had one. Leister and Wolfkiel each had triples.

The last time Burnham won a doubleheader was on June 24, 2019 against Reedsville. The last time Lewistown dropped two on the same day was on May 31, 2014 against Belleville.