Bellefonte falls to Central in baseball action

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: April 3, 2019

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – It was a tough start for the Bellefonte baseball team Tuesday night as Central got to the Red Raiders early, posting an 8-run first inning.

Despite settling in after that, the Red Raiders could not overcome the early deficit as they fell to the Dragons 13-1 in five innings.

Picking up the win for Central was Dylan Focht while Aston Wetzler took the loss.

Leading the offense for the Dragons were Hunter Klotz (2-for-3 3RBI), Casey Walters (2-for-3,RBI), Dylan Focht (3-for-4, run, RBI).

Bellefonte got hits from CJ Lauver, Nick Caperelle And Derek Fravel.

“I think we gave them too many opportunities. But give credit to Central they made the opportunities by hitting the ball hard and making contact and doing everything like that,” Bellefonte coach Jon Clark said. “They earned everything the got today and unfortunately we earned what we earned today.”

Things started off on a good note for the Red Raiders as Wetzler was able to get lead off hitter Paxton Kling to fly out to second.

Hunter Klotz singled into right. He would move up to second via a stolen base. He moved up to third when Devon Boyles reached on a error.

Dylan Focht singled in Klotz.

Teammates Noah Muthler and Jordan Bauman followed with consecutive walks.

Batman’s walk scored pinch runner Jason Ferry who was running for Klotz.

Leyton Kling’s single to right field scored Focht and Muthler, upping the lead to 4-0.

Thad Albright loaded the bases once again.

In his second bat in the inning, Kling walked in Bauman.

Klotz singled in two more runs, upping the lead to 7-0.

That would end Wetzler’s night as he was battling leg cramps while on the mound.

Bellefonte handed the ball to Derek Fravel.

Fravel allowed one hit and when the dust settled the Dragons scored eight.

“Sometimes the ball just finds a person or finds a spot. Right now ours are finding a player while they’re (Central) finding the spots,” Clark added. “Sometime your a little snake bitten sometimes and things aren’t going your way. It just seemed like when it rained, it poured sometimes. It’s almost like we’re snake bit. If something can go wrong or out of the ordinary it seems to be happening right now.”

Bellefonte went down in order in the bottom of the inning.

They shut down Central in the second and got some runners on base starting with a single by Lauver.

Seth Shuey putting runners on first and second when he walked to give Bellefonte runners in scoring position.

However, Focht struck out the next two batters.

But in the third, the Red Raiders picked up a run when Fravel hit a slow chopper that he outran to lead things off.

Capparelle roped a single to right field moving Fravel to third.

Fravel later scored on a sacrifice fly by CJ Funk, making it 8-1.

“I think the guys realize that everything is controllable right now. Every problem we have we can control those situations,” said Clark. “We’re going to get back to work tomorrow and try to correct some of those mental issues. We’re letting the mental side of things become physical problems and things compound and before you know it it’s 10-1 or 12-1. Things just keep spiraling.”

Central added four runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, ending the contest as 13-1 winners.

“We’re not going to pity ourselves. This is not the kind of kids we have and not the type of program we have,” said Clark. “We have guys that want to be successful and it’s going to be a challenge moving forward and then rising to the challenge and us giving them situations they can thrive in and be successful moving forward.”

Bellefonte is back in action Friday as it faces Penns Valley on the road.

Central 13, Bellefonte 1 (5 innings)

C 800 41x x – 13 11 2

B 001 00x x – 1 3 4

WP: Dylan Focht

LP: Ashton Wetzler

Multiple hitters: Central – Hunter Klotz 2-for-3 3RBI, Casey Walters 2-for-3,RBI, Dylan Focht 3-for-4, run, RBI. Bellefonte – None.

HR: None

3B: None

2B: Central – Jordan Bauman, Walters. Bellefonte – None.