Pine Forge tops Kodiaks in state tournament
They went all the way to the Scranton area in pursuit of bragging rights to Senior Babe Ruth baseball supremacy from the Montgomery/ Berks County area.
When they faced off Friday in the opening round of the Pa. State Tournament, Pine Forge Blue dominated its game with the Boyertown Kodiaks. The Indians dispatched the Bruins in five innings at Dunmore’s Schautz Memorial Stadium.
Pine Forge used five-run outbursts in the second and fifth to bring on the early end against Boyertown, which scored in the third and fifth. It was able to do that despite collecting just six hits, drawing 10 walks and taking advantage of seven Boyertown miscues.
Drew Hartman (2-for-3, double) and Gabriel Willman (2-for-4) each drove in three runs for the Indians, with Zane Alderfer and Sam Longacre adding two RBI apiece. Luke Allain also doubled for the Indians, which got a combined five-hitter from Hartman (six strikeouts) and David King. Hitting safely for Boyertown were P.J. Ridell, Hunter Pizzo, Connor Neiswender, Max Knittle and Owen Merkel. WEST SCRANTON 9, PINE FORGE BLUE 5 >> Staked to a six-run lead in its first atbat, West Scranton went on to handle the Indians in Saturday’s play from the Pa. State Tournament.
Logan Mabry was one of the hitting stars for PF Blue, going 2-for-4 with two RBI. Brett Leister chipped in with a 2-for-3 day for an Indian unit that got only within two runs (6-4) of West Scranton before it scored three times in the third inning to drop PF into the losers’ bracket.
The Indians got a combined three innings of solid shutout relief from Vinnie Kershner and Zane Alderfer, who yielded no hits or walks at the end. KENNETT 15, BOYERTOWN KODIAKS 5 >> The Kodiaks were overwhelmed for the second time in as many days Saturday, falling to Kennett in losers’ bracket play from the Pa. State Tournament.
Connor Neiswender drove in two runs for Boyertown, whose other RBI were recorded by Zachary Hamilton and Hunter Ewing. The Kodiaks did all their scoring in the fourth, after Kennett built a seven-run lead in the early going.
Legion baseball
NORCHESTER 5, WEST LAWN 1>> A three-run third inning helped the Bulldogs handle the Owls Saturday in their bid to close the gap on Boyertown atop the Berks County League.
Jordan Siket, Ryan Sayers, Ryan Walker and Jack Rinehimer all drove in runs for Norchester (13-3), which faced a key game with the Bears (14-3) later in the evening. Sam Morris, 3-for-4 with a double, headed a trio of multiple-hit ‘Dogs that included Sayers and Rinehimer (double), both of whom were 2-for-3.
Aiden Fisher got the pitching win off 5-1/3 innings at the start, and Jack Schnell picked up the save with 1-2/3 innings’ relief. OLEY/TOPTON 3, BOYERTOWN 0 >> The Bears were held to one hit by Post 217 when they resumed their previously-suspended Berks County League game.
Ethan Martin had the lone safety for Boyertown (14-3), which had four players draw walks — Sam Legerton two — on the day. Oley/Topton got its ultimate game-winning run in its first at bat, adding a pair of insurance tallies in the fifth.
Sean Sutterby went just two innings in his starting stint on the mound, with Jared Waldman working the next three. Both players racked up three strikeouts. DOYLESTOWN 10, POTTSTOWN 1 >> With a nine-run first inning, Doylestown set the tone for its Bux-Mont League victory over the Steelers Saturday.
Owen Morton (2-for-3, double) drove Dalton Mullen home in the first for Pottstown’s lone run. Mullen (double), Jake Eagle, Max Dopwell and Dylan Murphy were the other Steelers to hit safely.