Allentown, Hopewell to meet for tourney title

WHITEHOUSE STATION » Dan Merkel’s two-run single and Christian Pellone’s two-run double in the top of the eighth inning helped the Allentown summer baseball team rally past the host team, 6-2, in the semifinals of the Whitehouse Back The Blue Tournament Monday.

Trailing, 2-1, heading into the seventh, Connor Keenan’s drove in the tying run with a double, then Merkel came on in relief of starter Nick Beetel to pick up the mound win by keeping Whitehouse from scoring again over the final two innings.

Merkel and Danny McCormick had two hits apiece to direct A’town’s 10-hit attack.

Head coach Sahil Thakur’s team scored first with a run in the top of the second inning, but had trouble generating much more offense against Whitehouse starting pitcher Tristen Spalter, who struck out nine in five innings.

The home side had similar struggles with Beetel, who struck out eight in six innings.

Whitehouse, which got two hits from Tyrus Chippendale, tied the game in the third inning, then scrapped across the goahead run in the bottom of the sixth before Allentown mounted its closing rally.

With the victory, A’town advanced to face Hopewell for the tournament championship later Monday. HOPEWELL 4, CLINTON COUNTY 3

Tony St. John came on to get a four-out save in relief of Jack Haynes (1 innings) and CJ Szafranski (first 4 innings) as Hopewell’s summer baseball team held off their opponents from New York in the other Whitehouse Back The Blue Tournament semifinal.

Haynes had a big day at the plate as well with two hits and two runs batted in.

Ameer Hasan also knocked in a pair of runs for head coach Mike Coryell’s team, which turned two inning-ending double plays with the bases loaded to secure a spot in the final.

Hopewell played another local, Allentown, for the tournament championship later Monday.