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Instant classic: MC baseball tops State College in seventh inning thriller

By Kenny Varner

STATE COLLEGE – Saving the best for last.

Two rivals with one goal faced off Friday night at State College.

In the annual MIfflin County/ State College contests, one knows they are in store for a shoot out.

Fans got just that.

With two outs with the game tied at two, MIfflin County’s Colby Bodtorf was up for the challenge as he hit a clutch single down the right field line, scoring Cole Knable who was on second, giving the Huskies a 5-4 advantage.

Bodtorf was the pitcher of record but it would be teammate Rylan Bailey that would come in and get the save sending down three of the four batters he faced to lift his team to the victory over the Little Lions.

“We finally put a full game together tonight. It’s a big win.A big team win. It’s a good momentum booster for the kids,” said MIfflin County coach John McGonigle. “We had a couple of tough games there back-to-back. It was good to get a good outing out of Colby. Rylan pitched good in relief tonight. The defense played well in the last inning. We are happy to get out of here with the win and take the momentum into next week.”

What looked like it would be a high scoring contest, as both teams scored three in the first but both starting pitchers settled in.

Bodtorf faced off against State College hurler Isaac Oldham.

Bodtorf.

Ironically Bodtorf would start the game off with a single into left centerfield.

He would take advantage of three wild pitches to score.

Teammate Bryce Dobson reached base on a walk and also scored on three wild pitches, giving the Huskies a 2-0 contest.

Jaxson Pupo also walked and was replaced on the base paths by Colby Yoder. Yoder reached third on two wild pitches and scored on a single by Luke Lyter, upping the lead to three going into the bottom of the inning.

State College batted its way back in the game as it roped four hits to tie the contest.

Jake Cooper got the Little Lions started with a blooping shot into right field.

Teammate Alex Alivia singled, putting runners in scoring position.

Ethan Schimony brought both runners in with a scorcher to right.

Alivia would later tie the game on a sacrifice fly by Matt Allison.

Both pitchers and their defenses took over in the second, third and fourth innings as the offenses were shut down.

MIfflin County manufactured its fourth run of the game in the fifth.

Bailey led off the inning with a shot down the line at third for a single.

Luke Lyter was hit by a pitch.

They both moved over on a sacrifice bunt.

With two outs, Cole Knable brought Bailey in when he hustled out a slow bouncer at third.

State wouldn’t even blinked as it went right back to the plate and scored one run in the bottom of the inning, tying it once again.

The pressure started to mount in both dug outs as the contest went into the seventh.

Things started slow for the Huskies as they found themselves with two quick outs.

Knable kept the inning alive and kicking with a walk.

Marshall Maidens singled to put runners on first and second for Bodtorf.

Things didn’t come easy for the lefty as he got down in the count early, 0-2.

But his patience at the plate paid off as he forced to consecutive balls to even the count.

He then blasted a shot down right field scoring Knable on the play and sent the Huskies into the bottom of the inning with the lead.

Bailey set down the first two batters he saw.

But Schimony kept the game going with a single into left.

However, the night belonged to the Huskies as they were able to force a ground out to end the game.

MIfflin County 5, State College 4

MC 300 010 1 – 5 8 2

SC  300 010 0 – 4 8 0

WP: Colby Bodtorf (MC)

LP: Matt Lingenfelter (SC)

S: Rylan Bailey

Multiple hits: State College – Ethan Schimony 3-4 2RBI, run. MIfflin County -Colby Bodtorf 2-4 RBI, run, Marshall Maidens 2-4.

Home run: None.

Triple: None.

Double: State College – Alex Alivia, Schimony. MIfflin County – Jaxson Pupo.

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