Bellefonte plates three in the sixth; foils MC comeback attempt

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 18, 2021

By Kenny Varner

BELLEFONTE – It was a battle to the end.

Despite being down by a run in the top of the sixth, MIfflin County’s Marshall Maidens scored on a Bellefonte wild pitch, tying things at three.

But, the comeback attempt came up a little short as the Red Raiders retaliated with three runs in the bottom of the inning, taking the contest 6-3 in Tuesday baseball action.

Picking up the win for Bellefonte was Derek Fravel who went three innings on the mound, striking out five and combined with starting pitcher Seth Shuey allowed one four Husky hits.

“They’re (MIfflin County) a quality team and getting ready for the playoffs so those are the type of games you want, “ said Bellefonte coach Jon Clark. “Obviously you’d like to win by 10 every game but it’s not going to happen. Their pitcher did a nice job keeping us off pace. Whatever it was he was doing we weren’t swinging our bats like we can.”

“The guys stuck with it and did the things we asked them to do and it went our way.

For MIfflin County pitcher Gavin Busch pitched a strong outing despite the loss, going six innings, scattering 11 hits while striking out four. Most of the contest, he kept the Red Raiders off balanced and kept the bats at bay until the bottom of the sixth.

Bellefonte got strong efforts at the plate by Max Rogers (3-fo-3, RBI) and Zach Swanger (2-for-3, RBI).

MIfflin County got hits from Rylan Bailey (2-run home run), Maidens (single), Luke Lyter (single) and Colby Bodtorf (single).

MIfflin County got off to a sizzling start, leading 2-0.

With one out, Jaxson Pupo was hit by a Shuey offering.

Bailey sent a laser shot over the left field fence, giving the Huskies a quick 2-0 advantage.

“First of all Gavin Busch threw one heck of a game today. He hasn’t pitched much for us this year and we gave him the ball today and did a heck of a job,” said MIfflin County coach John McGonigle. “He deserved to get the win with how good he pitched. He threw all six innings. He located well. They layed down some bunts in key situations that was a big part of the game. A couple of miscues in the field and took advantage of it.”

In the bottom of the second, Bellefonte chipped into the Huskies’ lead, plating one.

Shuey opened the inning with a walk and was replaced on the base paths by Harry Horner.

Rogers singled into centerfield, scoring Horner, cutting it to a 2-1 contest.

Bellefonte was back at it in the third inning, after keeping the MIfflin County bats silent in the top of the inning.

With two outs, Fravel doubled to right centerfield to keep the inning alive.

Shuey helped his cause early as he also doubled to left, tying the game at two.

Rogers put his team ahead by one as he singled home Shuey, giving the home team a slight one run advantage.

Going into the sixth, the Red Raiders were still holding onto the run lead.

Maidens led off with a single not left. He stole second and moved up to third thanks to a fielder’s choice by Pupo.

He then scored as a Fravel pitch scooted away from the Bellefonte catcher, along him to score and tie things at three.

But the stalemate would only be temporary as the Bellefonte bats got hot at the right time.

Rogers led off with a single to right.

Alex Eberling hit a slow roller down third and beat the throw.

Swanger loaded the bases on a bunt single.

Braedyn Kormanic hit into a fielder’s choice. The throw home forced out Rogers at home but on the double play attempt the ball went into right field allowing Eberling to score, giving the Red Raiders back the lead at 4-3.

Bellefonte added two more runs to up the lead to 6-3.

In the top of the seventh, MIfflin County got started in the right direction as pinch hitter Colby Bodtorf led off with a single down the middle.

However, he would be stranded as Bellefonte went onto the victory.

Bellefonte MIfflin County

MC 200 001 0 – 3 4 1

BE 012 003 x – 6 11 0

WP: Derek Fravel

LP: Gavin Busch

Multiple hitters: MIfflin County – . Bellefonte – Max Rogers 3-for-3, RBI, Zach Swanger 2-for-3, run.

HR: MIfflin County- Rylan Bailey. Bellefonte – None.

3B: None.

2B: MIfflin County – None. Bellefonte – Derek Fravel, Seth Shuey.