Porter tosses no-hitter, Post 467 advances to title game
WILCOX – Collin Porter threw his second no-hitter of the season Thursday night as Post 467 advanced to Saturday's American Legion Elk-McKean League championship with a 10-0, five-inning win over Brockway at the Jones Township Recreational Park.
Wilcox improved to 10-1 and will host the winner of Thursday's Kane at Smethport contest. The result was not available at press time. The time of the title game has not been determined. Brockway will play the loser of the game in Smethport in the consolation game. The top three teams advance to the Region 8 tournament that starts next Friday in Albion.
Porter has not given up a run in his 20.1 innings on the mound this season. The righthander struck out six bringing his total to 30. Blake Pisarcik drew a walk in the fifth to spoil a perfect game. He was 7-5 Brockway's only base runner.
“Collin has been lights out all season and was near perfect tonight,” said Post 467 manager Scott Zimmerman. “The defense was great behind him and overall, we played extremely well.”
Third baseman Jefferson Freeburg, shortstop Aiden Zimmerman, and second baseman Kaden Dennis all had potential hit saving putouts, and centerfielder Camron Marciniak chased down a flyball in the fifth.
Both teams played error free baseball.
Seven Wilcox runs in the fourth inning made it 9-0 setting the stage shortstop Aiden Zimmerman's base hit knocking in right fielder Caden Smiley with the walk-off 10th run with no outs.
Wilcox finished with 11 hits. Smiley and the Zimmerman brother Aiden and first baseman Luke (double) had two hit nights. The bro's had two RBI as well. Porter helped himself with a double and RBI. Post 467 drew seven walks – four in the seventh inning. Catcher Ethan Wells and leftfielder Domenic Allegretto walked twice.
Freeburg, Wells, and Dennis also hit safely. Dalton Stahli, who took over for Freeburg in the bottom of the fourth, walked and scored.
“We hit the ball in key situations and the bats are coming around at the perfect time here in the post-season,” the Wilcox manager said.
Zimmerman feels his team is poised for a run heading into regionals. They'll play at Albion regardless of Saturday's outcome. He wants to go there with a league championship under its belt.
“Every game is important now because it gives you a higher seed at regionals. This team is hungry for a league championship, and we have some unfinished business up there.”
Wilcox lost 1-0 in nine innings to French Creek in last year's Region 8 championship title game. The winner in Albion moves on to the state tourney.
H-AB-RBI-R Brockway: Erza Swanon 0-2-0-0, Riley Smith 0-2-0-0, Kaden Brezenski 0-2-0-0, Carson Weaver 0-2-0-0, Blake Pasarcik 0-1-0-0, Matt Brubaker 0-2-0-0, Carter Himes 0-1-0-0,
Ben Glasl 0-1-0-0, Totals – 0-15-0-0.
Wilcox: Dom Allegretto 0-2-0-0, Aiden Zimmerman 2-4-2-1, Camron Marciniak 1-21-1, Kaden Dennis 1-31-1, Luke Zimmerman 2-3-2-1, Ethan Wells 1-1-0-2, Collin Porter 1-3-1-1, Jefferson Freeburg 1-1-0-0, Dalton Stahli -0-1-0-1, Caden Smiley 2-3-1-2, Totals 11-22-8-10.
2B – Wilcox – Porter, Luke Zimmerman; BB – Brockway – Pisarcik, Wilcox – Allegretto (2), Ethan Wells (2), Camron
Marciniak, Collin Porter, Dalton Stahli. IP-H-R-ER-SO-BB-HB
Brockway: Riley Smith (L) 3.1-9-9-9-1-60, Blake Pisarcik .2-2-11-0-1-0, Totals 4-11-1010-1-7-0.
Wilcox: Collin Porter (W) 5-0-0-0-6-1-0.