Bellefonte ends week with strong victory over Hollidaysburg

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 3, 2024

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – Running like a well oiled machine!

The Bellefonte offense keeps chugging along as it finished with double digit hits in its 9-3 win over the Golden Tigers.

The Red Raiders honored their seniors before and during the game, posting a victory over Hollidaysburg.

Beforehand, seven Bellefonte players and one senior manager were given a ceremony in their honor.

Seniors honored were Josh Brown, Jacob Corman, Ryan Fraley, Trevor Johnson, Braedyn Kormanic, Levi Purnell, Ethan Thomasacci and Addie Lose (manager).

Bellefonte pitcher Braedyn Kormanic had the hot bat as he picked up the win as well as going 2-for-3 smoking a homer and a double while collecting three RBIs.

Leading the Red Raiders at the plate was Josh Brown who went 3-for-4 and a run scored.

Timely hitting by Bellefonte proved to be evident throughout with the Red Raiders having numerous two-out rallies in the win.

“I thought today we challenged the guys to treat this like a playoff game. As we get closer to the playoffs we want to play those games like they are playoffs,” said Bellefonte coach Jon Clark. “I thought our guys did a great job of going in with the right mentality. We attacked the baseball the right way.

Kormanic fueled against Hollidaysburg starter submarine style pitcher EJ Ulery.

After holding the Golden Tigers at bay in the top of the first, the Red Raiders stepped up to the plate and went right to work.

Leadoff hitter Trevor Johnson, who went 2-for-3, led off his part of the first with an odd bouncing squibber down third base.

Unfortunately for Bellefonte, Johnson was forced out at second on a fielders choice grounder by Peyton Vancas.

With one swing of the bat by Kormanic though, the Red Raiders would jump out on the scoreboard and into the lead as he sent the ball deep over the left field fence for the 2-run blast.

Defensively, the Red Raiders limited the Golden Tigers to six hits in the contest.

The hits continued for the “Red and Black attack” in the second as well.

Ryan Fraley led off the inning with a single into left.

With two outs, Johnson walked, putting runners on first and second.

Vancas added to the lead blasting a double into left field, scoring both Johnson and Fraley on the blast.

Kormanic picked up his third RBI of the night as he brought in Vancas with a double of his own. The pitcher was replaced by courtesy runner Braeden Miller. Miller scored on a Levi Purnell shot into left, upping the lead quickly to a 6-0 advantage.

But in the third, the Hollidaysburg offense started to put things together.

Ethan Karageanes walked and then moved up to third on a Bellefonte miscue.

The bases cleared when Drew Banks posted a triple into the gap in right scoring both Karageanes and Carson Kensinger, cutting the Red Raider lead to 6-2.

Cayden Gibbons single to left cut the deficit to three going into the bottom of the inning.

Fraley again led the charge as he hustled out a bunt single. He moved up to second on a wild pitch.

Ethan Tomasacci moved Fraley to third on a sacrifice bunt.

Johnson followed with a crazy chopper that hit the glove of Ulery. When the dust settled Johnson had his first RBI of the game as Fraley scored uncontested.

From there, Bellefonte went to their bullpen as Vancas came out on the mound.

Him and his defense kept the Golden Tigers off the scoreboard while its offense continued to pound out its 16 hits it posted on the night.

Bellefonte added a lone run in the third.

In the fourth, the Red Raiders continued to put runs on the board, picking up two more to go into the fifth with a comfortable 9-3 advantage.

With the Hollidaysburg bats silenced, Bellefonte notched its 15th victory of the season.

Bellefonte will be back on the field Wednesday as they travel to Clearfield.

Bellefonte 9, Hollidaysburg 3

H 003 000 0- 3 6 1

B 241 200 x – 9 12 1

WP: Braedyn Kormanic

LP: EJ Ulery

Multiple hitters: H – Drew Banks 2-for-4 run, 2RBI. B – Braedyn Kormanic 2-for-3 run 3RBI, Josh Brown 3-for-4, run , Trevor Johnson 2-for-3 run, RBI, Ryan Fraley 2-for-3 2 runs .

HR: H – None. B – Braedyn Kormanic.

3B: H – Drew Banks . B – None.

2B: H – None. B – Peyton Vancas (2), Kormanic .