Bellefonte Lions edge M&T in Major League Championship game one

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: June 1, 2021

Bellefonte Lions Club 4
M&T Bank 3

Bellefonte Lions lead best of 3 series 1-0, game 2 Tuesday Night at Webster field first pitch 5:30pm

WP Zack Lehman
LP Asten Howell

Catchers Lions Adrew Gall M&T Alton Howell

The 73rd Bellefonte Little League Championship series has the league’s two oldest sponsors facing off, the Bellefonte Lions Club started sponsoring a team in 1952 and M&T Bank started sponsoring a team as the first Bank of Bellefonte in 1959. Both sponsors have 28 Major League Championships combined.

The game came down to the wire as any good championship series between two storied sponsors should. Top of the first inning Asten Howell led off with a single and scored the first run of the game two batters later with a Triston Heman single.

Bottom of the first Asten Howell held the Lions bat silent outside of a Zach Lehman double. The first game of Bellefonte Little League championship came down to a pitching duel for the next 3 innings.

The top of the 4th inning with the game still 1-0 in favor of M&T Bank. Aston Howell led off with an infield single. Quinn Park matched it with a solid single of his own. Triston Heman hit into a 6-4 fielder’s choice but as the Lions Club tried to turn a double play Aston Howell came around third to manage the second run of the game in favor of M&T Bank. Alton Howell ended the top of the fourth with a flyout to Alaina Mischock.

The Lions Club came to life at the bottom of the fourth with back to back walks from Holden Howard and Alaina Mischock, Elijah Robinson came to bat after a strikeout and hit a single over M&T’s second baseman head to load the bases. Braden Fortney matched Elijah with a single of his own putting the Lions on the board. Kaleb Tomasacci drew a walk to tie the game up and ended Aston Howell’s day as M&T’s game one pitcher with 4 strikeouts, 4 hits giving up 4 runs scored. Quinn Park came in for M&T as a middle reliever to face Zach Lehman who proceeded to find a single to the left side of the field scoring 2 more runs putting the Bellefonte Lions in the lead 4-2. Quinn Park ended the inning with a flyout to 3rd from Andrew Gall, a walk to Garret Cain then got Holden Howard to strike out.

M&T Bank responded in the top of the 5th after a strikeout from Connor Heeman, Hudson Manning managed a walk from Zach Lehman ending his day on the mound for the Lions. Zach had 6 strikeouts, 7 hits and 3 runs giving up. Braden Fortney came in for the Lions as a middle reliever, walking Will Hoover, the first batter he faced. Then giving up a single to center field from Bruce Jennings that loaded the bases. Aston Howell grounded out to first base but the throw home was not intime Hudson Manning scored, cutting the Lions lead to one 4-3. The inning ended on a Quinn Park strikeout.

Triston Heeman took the mound top of the 5th. Faced 4 lions and ended the inning keeping M&T Bank within one run.

The Bellefonte Lions Club finished the game with Kaleb Tomassacci taking the mound and proceeded to strike out the side securing the Lion’s Club one game lead in the best of three Championship Series. Game two is set for Wednesday at Webster field first pitch 5:30pm