Bellefonte holds off late rally by Greater Latrobe to advance to Round 2

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – Living to play another day.

Monday, the Bellefonte baseball team played center stage to the opening round of PIAA State playoff action. The Red Raiders hosted Greater Latrobe in a win-or-go home contest.

“We’ve battled throughout the year. We e come up short a couple times. We pushed back in games where we fell behind and scraped our way back and came up short “ said Bellefonte coach Jon Clark. “I said every one of those wins and losses is preparing us for a situation we’re going to find here in the playoffs. I said when you get to the playoffs. That is one heck of a team over there. They can hit. They have pitchers. I said things are going to go against us and how we respond is going to show what type of team we have.”

In the end, the Red Raiders would win in dramatic fashion, holding off a late Wildcat rally to advance to the second round, 10-9.

Dominic Capperella took the mound for the Red Raiders as he faced off against Wildcat hurler Logan Bradish. Capperella would notch the win while Peyton Vancas would get the dramatic save.

Offensively, Trevor Johnson and Capperella led the punch from the plate as both went yard to help the Red Raiders to advance to the next round.

In the top of the first Greater Latrobe started as lead off hitter Erick Batista led off with a single between short and third.

Teammate Louie Amatucci reached on a Bellefonte miscue. A stolen base later, the Wildcats had runners on second and third.

With two out, Jacob Cramer hit a blooper into shallow center scoring both Batista and Amatucci.

But the Red Raiders would bounce back in the bottom of the inning.

Leading off for Bellefonte, Trevor Johnson blasted a shot over the right field fence for his 11th home run of the season.

Peyton Vancas kept it giving hustling out an infield single too short.

Alex Ebeling joined Vancas as he walked.

With two out and runners on the corners, Dominic Capperella helped his own cause as he blasted a three-run round tripper, 4-2.

Despite the Wildcats giving up one hit, Bellefonte came up strong on defense keeping their opponent off the scoreboard in the second.

The Red Raiders looked to add to their lead in the bottom of the inning.

Josh Brown led off the inning with a walk, followed by an intentional walk to Johnson.

Vancas loaded things up.

Alex Ebeling brought in Brown on a sacrifice fly to left, upping it.

Triston Heckman blooped in Johnson, upping the lead to 6-2.

Defensively, the Red Raiders continued to frustrate the Wildcats batters.

Bellefonte added to the run column in the fourth, thanks to a little 2-out lightning.

Johnson was walked for the second time in the contest. He moved up to second on a comebacker by Vancas.

Ebeling smashed an RBI single to the outfield, scoring a hustling Johnson.

Triston Heckman loaded the bases as he walked as well, setting the stage for catcher Braedyn Kormanic.

Kormanic did not disappoint slapping an RBI past shortstop.

Capperella added to his strong day at the plate posting a 2-RBI single, upping the lead to 10-2.

Greater Latrobe threatened in the fifth, loading the bases with no outs.

With only one run across, Bellefonte went to their bullpen and brought in Vancas.

Cramer cut the Red Raiders lead to four as he blasted a 3-run Double to cut the Bellefonte lead to 10-6.

In the bottom of the fifth, the Red Raiders threatened with runners on first and second but were left stranded.

Down to their last at bats, the Wildcats didn’t go away easy.

Dante Basciano walked.

Erick Batista blasted a double off the left field wall scoring Basciano, cutting it to a 10-7 deficit.

Things got even closer when Logan Bradish smashed a 2-run home run, cutting it to 10-9.

But the Bellefonte defense held on for the win.

The Rec Raiders will be back in action Thursday at a site and time to be announced.

Bellefonte 10, Greater Latrobe 9

GL 200 0403 –   9 9  1

BE 420 400 x – 10 11 0

WP: Dominic Capperella

LP: Logan Bradish

S: Peyton Vancas

Multiple hitters: GL – Erick Batista  2-for-2. BE – Peyton Vancas 2-for-3, Capperella 2-for-4, Kormanic 2-for-4,Triston Heckman 2-for-3.

HR: BEL – Trevor Johnson, Capperella . GL –   Erick Batista.

3B: None.

2B: GL – Cramer. BEL – None.

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