Bear-cubs’ Longacre throws no-hitter

GABELSVILLE — There wasn’t much else the Boyertown Bear-Cub pitching staff could do to top a streak of eight straight shutouts to start the Berks County Junior Legion League schedule.

Or at least it seemed that way.

On Monday night at Mecherly Field, Ben Longacre not only kept the incredible shutout streak alive, but tossed a no-hitter to boot in a 3-0 win over West Lawn.

Longacre walked one and struck out seven and also poked a two-run single to break up a scoreless tie in the fifth inning. He and Mitch Pinder each had two hits and Pat Maloney singled in an insurance run in the sixth as the first-place Bear-Cubs, who made two infield errors, improved their record to 9-0 in the league and 19-1 overall.

“I was throwing my curveball and changeup well,” said Longacre, a 15-year-old who recently completed ninth grade at Boyertown Junior High West.

Late in the game the right-hander also showed a good fastball, even as he approached the 100-pitch mark.

“I was feeling good,” he said. “Usually, late in the game, we throw more fastballs.”

“Ben threw really well,” said Boyertown manager Lee Mecherly. “He got some life again in the sixth and seventh innings. He goes out there and competes.”

Robby Rappleye also pitched well for West Lawn, which dropped its second straight league game to fall to 6-3.

The Bear-Cubs got singles from Tom Randall and Aaron Kratz with one away in the second, but Rappleye retired the side on a strikeout and a fly to center. Boyertown also put two men on in the third, but a pop to right ended the threat.

Boyertown finally broke through in the fifth when Pinder grounded a single right up the middle with one out, stole second, and then swiped third during a walk to Ryan Jacobs, who also stole second.

Then Longacre worked a 2-2 count and punched one the opposite way just over the second baseman into right field to bring home the two runners.

“We got some timely hits,” said Mecherly. “We could have scored earlier, but we hit the ball right at them a couple of times. But that’s baseball.”

The hosts added a run in the sixth on two-out singles by John DeMartino, Pinder, and Maloney.

And that was more than enough for Longacre, who had thrown a nohitter earlier in the season in a nonleague game against North Parkland.

Longacre retired the first seven batters before walking Dalton Emerich on five pitches. The Owls also got a runner with one out in the fifth on a throwing error on a routine groundball play that pulled the first baseman off the bag. The only other West Lawn runner came on a misplayed bouncer to third to start the seventh, but Longacre wrapped things up on a pop to third, a strikeout, and a fly to right which was caught just in foul territory after a long run by right fielder Kratz.

Along the way, shortstop Pinder made a couple of nice plays, one when he charged a ball past the mound and made a strong throw to first for the out and the other on a soft liner up the middle that he caught behind the second base bag.

“All in all, we played a really nice game,” said Mecherly. “I’m very proud of the pitching and defense. I’ll take that any time.

The Bear-Cubs have now outscored nine Berks opponents by a combined 83-0. Three of the wins, including the last two, have been by 3-0 scores and the rest by double-digit differences.

“Our pitching and defense have been great,” added Longacre, who threw 67 of his 103 pitches for strikes. “And we get hitting when we need it.”