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BY RAY WILDE
Sports correspondent
WILLIAMSPORT -- When Liam Shaffer lofted a ball into the darkness and it fell near the fence in left center field in the last inning of the 15-16-year-old Mid-Atlantic championship game on Monday night, it was a clutch performance. The hit cleared the bases and gave Mifflin County the lead.
The day before in the semi-final game, Landon Pecht, also was a hero with a clutch three-run double in the last inning giving Mifflin County another come-from-behind victory.
These two hits will go down in the history books for Mifflin County Babe Ruth as clutch performances in regional play.
Here is another look at clutch performances in regional play for teams that went on to the World Series.
2002
All the games were pivotal in the Mid-Atlantic in the 2002 15-year-old tournament.
Mifflin County won all four in extra-innings to advance to the World Series. The regionals were held in West Milford,New Jersey.
But, the third one against Metro New York was the most pivotal. The Metro New York team was from Staten Island and they had gone to two World Series at the 14 and 13-year-old levels.
The game went 11 innings and Mifflin County won, 5-2. Teddy Stake started for Mifflin County and was relieved by Nate Burkey and AJ Yoder. Andy King, Josh Haines, Stake and Yoder each had two hits.
Mifflin County then beat Western New York, 3-2, for the championship. The World Series was in Connellsville, Indiana.
2004
The 2004 Mid-Atlantic tournament was held in Milroy at the Armagh Memorial Field. The two pressure games were against Aston Valley and the first game against Maryland.
Aston Valley had beaten Mifflin County, 4-3, in the state tournament. The team was managed by Dickie Noles, a former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher. His twin sons were the two key players on his pitching staff.
In the regional meeting Mifflin County came out on top, 6-5. Mifflin County came up with four runs in the third inning as Dane Glick, Chris Tressler, Matt Mazzoni and Matt Greg each had base hits. Kyle Heane picked up the win in relief.
Mifflin County had never beaten a team from Maryland, but this time Mifflin County won, 7-6. Tressler got the start and tossed a six-hitter and Mazzoni did the hitting with a double and a triple.
Mifflin County beat Maryland, 15-6 for the title. It was a double -elimination tournament. Mifflin County moved on to Longview, Washington for the World Series.
2016
The two key games for the Mifflin County 13-year-olds were the first game and the last one. The regional was held in Queensbury, New York.
Mifflin County had to go eight innings to beat Eastern New York, 6-1. Brian Yetter went the first seven innings and struck out 14. Colby Bodtorf had a 1-2-3 eighth. Ethan Eichhorn and Casey Conner had RBI singles and Bodtorf had a two run double. In the extra-inning.
The last game for the championship came against the host team. Queensbury had a 4-0 lead, before Mifflin County chipped away making it a 4-3 game. Cole Schlegel, Brycen Hassinger and Yetter each had RBI's. Connor Cherry had the key RBI base hit in the seventh with two out to tie the game, 4-4.
In the eighth Bodtorf singled and moved to second on an error. Brycen Hassinger moved Bodtorf to third on a ground ball. Bodtorf then raced home on a wild pitch that went off the catcher’s leg.
Mifflin County won, 5-4 and went on to win the World Series in Ottumwa, Iowa.
2018
This regional tournament was held in Milroy and it was one to remember. Mifflin County had to win a triple header and they had to do it with one loss.
Mifflin County won the first game against Southeastern New York, 5-4. Mifflin County trailed 4-1 and came from behind to win the game. Brian Yetter had a two-run double to spark the victory.
In the second game, Mifflin County met undefeated West End of Williamsport. In this game, Mifflin County had to go nine innings. The game was tied, 3-3, going into the ninth. Cole Knable got the win in relief as he threw six scoreless innings. Bodtorf was the star on offense and defense. He had three hits and made great plays at shortstop.
The third game was not as close. Mifflin County won, 14-5, over West End. Bodtorf was still red hot at the plate with three hits. Yetter drove in three runs with two doubles. Cole Schlegel also had two hits. Conner Cherry was the winning pitcher as he went five innings and Bryce Dobson closed out the game with two innings of work.
The last game was held up with a four-hour rain delay. What made it even more interesting was that West End's top pitcher, Logan Ott, had beaten Mifflin County earlier in the tournament, 5-0, but wasn't allowed to pitch until the clock struck midnight of the last day of the tournament and then it was too late.
Mifflin County went to Longview, Washington to the World Series.
2021
The 15-year-old Mid-Atlantic regional was held in Scranton. The key game for Mifflin County was against Milesburg, Pa. in the semi-finals. It was a double-elimination tournament.
Mifflin County and Milesburg were both undefeated. Ryan Hine was the star player for Mifflin County as he pitched and batted Mifflin County to a win.
Hine sparked Mifflin County to the win as he smashed a three run double in the first inning for a 4- l lead. Mifflin County won going away, 8-4. Mifflin County had 10 hits with Tucker Gill, Doug Weaver and Aidan Reed each getting two.
Hine was the starting pitcher on the mound and the winner.
Mifflin County wrapped up its title with a 9-3 win over Milesburg in the championship game and was off to Eagle Pass, Texas for the World Series.
2022
The key game for Mifflin County in the 14-year-old Mid-Atlantic Regional came in the last game against Broomall-Newtown.
Mifflin County won its first two games in pool play, but lost to Broomall-Newtown, 9-6. It marked the second straight game that Mifflin County had given up nine runs to Broomall as it got beat in the state tournament, 9-1.
In the semi-finals, Broomall beat West End, who had won the state title over Mifflin County, the previous week. To get to the finals, Mifflin County defeated Northern New Jersey, 9-5, behind the pitching of Logan Ruth.
The game between the two rivals was tied after seven innings. 3-3. Madden Weaver went seven innings. He gave up three runs early, but held Broomall scoreless over the last five innings. Weaver only gave up one hit and one walk over the last five innings he worked.
In the top of the eighth, Mifflin County took control of the game with five runs.
Broomall fell apart as it committed three errors, walked one and had a wild pitch.
The large crowd at the Armagh Memorial Field helped Mifflin County to the victory.
Reese Christine had a key base hit and Braxton Smith connected for a two-run triple.
On defense, Chase Lesiter made big plays in the outfield. Chase Hartung closed out the win with a 1-2-3 inning on the mound.
Mifflin County then left for Williston, North Dakota for the World Series.