Sentinel photo by BOB HOCKENBROCK Mifflin County’s Chase Hartung pitches against Butler during a PIAA First Round contest on Monday.

LEWISTOWN — Monday afternoon started a new day and new journey for the Mifflin County baseball team as they opened its first PIAA state playoff game in team history.

In front of its home crowd, the Huskies filled the hill against the Butler Golden Tornadoes in the first-round showdown. Butler came into the contest with a sterling 20-3 record while the Huskies sported a record of 15-6.

Mifflin County sent ace Chase Hartung to the mound to go against Butler’s Kyle Casteel.

“We, I felt like we were very prepared. Obviously, Casteel’s work and his credentials speak for himself. He’s throwing 93 to 95 from the mound, and striking out double-digit guys per game, and that wasn’t us today. We had a lot of really good swings and they made some great defensive plays, especially at first base,” said Mifflin County coach Ray Hoppel. “We also played great defensively.

I’m super proud of my guys.”

The game wouldn’t be decided until the bottom of the seventh inning. It would be an RBI single by Boden Lenyk that would untie a 1-1 stalemate to give the Golden Tornadoes the 2-1 win.

Starting the contest, Hartung went right to work, sending the Golden Tornadoes down 1-2-3 in the first.

Mifflin County struck first.

With two outs, the Huskies started its inning when Jayden Smith reached on an error by Butler.

He moved up to second on a single by Karl Shirey.

Smith hustled around to score on a smoking shot into left, making it a 1-0 lead.

Hartung had his pitches going in the second as he struck out the side to give the Mifflin County offense a chance to add to the lead.

However, Casteel and company tightened up in the second, sending the Huskies also down 1-2-3.

The Huskies showed off their defense in the third.

After a Hartung strikeout, he walked his first batter, second baseman Jacob Szborlskie.

The inning ended on a double play bouncer to third by Nash Coffman to end the inning.

With one swing of the bat, the Golden Tornadoes tied the game on a Mavrick Clement sent a home run over the left field fence.

Butler rallied to load the bases with still only one out.

However, Hartung struck out Ryan Rattigan and Huskies left fielder robbed Karsten Lenyk as he made a diving catch to limit the damage to just one run in the fourth.

In the fifth, the Huskies showed some more glove as Evan Strohecker went airborne as he stretched out for another diving catch for MC. He would have an easier flyout hit to him minutes later to frustrate the Golden Tornadoes.

Again, Mifflin County shut things down as it went into the bottom of the fifth tied at one.

In the sixth, Butler threatened to end the tie. Trent Best was hit by a pitch and teammate Nolan Stefaniak hustled out an infield single.

But the Huskies defense again spoiled the rally as they got three consecutive outs to go into the bottom of the inning unscathed.

The Huskies went down quietly in the sixth going 1-2-3, setting up for some late game drama.

Szborlskie led off the top of the inning with a single to third.

Hoffman put down a successful sacrifice bunt to move Szborlskie to second.

Leadoff hitter Boden Lenyk sent a liner over the head of the Huskies third baseman and just inside the foul line to score Szborlskie to take the lead.

Mifflin County battled in the seventh but couldn’t manufacture any runs.

Despite the season ending for the Huskies, the group left an impressive resume as Mid-Penn Commonwealth champion, District 6 Class 6A champion and a Sweet 16 berth in the PIAA.

Butler 2, Mifflin County 1

BU 000 000 1 – 2 5 0

MC 100 000 0 – 1 5 0

WP: Kyle Casteel

LP: Chase Hartung

Multiple hitters: MC–Jayden Smith 2-for-3 run.

HR: BU–Mavrick Clement.

3B: BU – None. MC – None.

2B: BU – None. MC – None.