Big Valley bats take opener over SC

By rscaife
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Updated: June 27, 2017

By Kenny Varner

STATE COLLEGE – They came to play.
Opening up their contest against State College Grey, the Big Valley 9/10s showed they could come out swinging and score runs as it jumped out to 5-1 lead and then was able to hold on for the 7-4 victory.
Braden Sunderland had a strong performance on the mound, keeping the State College hitters at bay for much of the contest.
The combination of Sunderland, Strohecker and Jacob Bauman allowed only four total hits the entire game.
However, State College gave Big Valley a late scare as the Grey team, loaded the bases in the seventh.
But Bauman was clutch under pressure as he shut down the home team’s late threat striking out two of the last three batters to secure the win and get the save.
Offensively the kids from Big Valley were led by Logan Alexander, Carter Smith, Evan Strohecker, Braden Sunderland and Nathan Parks, who all finished with two hits in the game.
State College got hits from Dylan Kramer, Brody Downs, Adam Schirf and Zach Mazer.
“I am very proud of them. They came out of the gate swinging the bat. Strohecker led things off with a triple. Those first four batters can hit anything,” Big Valley manager Shawn Wagner said. “When their on the ball we can put sone runs up.”
In the first, Strohecker led the game off in grand fashion, tripling to the centerfield fence.
Logan Alexander’s fielders’ choice allowed Strohecker to score as he picked up the RBI.
Sunderland followed with a double, setting the stage for Truitt Davis. Davis did not disappoint as he singled in Sunderland, giving Big Valley a 2-0 advantage going into the bottom of the inning.
Sunderland and his defense looked strong, keeping State off the board.
Holding a 2-0 lead, the rest of the line up wanted to show what they can do.
Michael McNitt got things going with a walk. McNitt made it into scoring position after reaching second on a fielders choice by Zachary Diehl.
With two out, Strohecker hustled out an infield hit as McNitt was running on the play and hustled home. When the ball got back to the pitcher, Strohecker worked his way to second.
Alexander singled in Strohecker to up “the Red and White” lead to 4-0.
With Sunderland at the plate, Alexander’s stay on base would be a short one, scoring on a RBI single.
State College got on the board in the bottom of the second.
Levi Mellott reached on a rare Big Valley miscue and moved up via a fielders choice by Brody Downs.
Dylan Kramer smashed in Mellott when he tripled to right field, making it 5-1.
But that would be all the Big Valley defense would allow.
Big Valley added one more run in the third and fourth, upping things to 7-1.
Things got interesting in the bottom of the sixth as the Grey tried to work their way back to try to tie or win the game.
Despite getting the bases loaded and scoring one runs with no outs, Big Valley went to the bullpen and let Bauman put the fire out.
Facing his first batter Max Herncane, Bauman struck him out in four pitches.
The second batter, Zach Mazer picked up an RBI fielders choice, making it 7-4 with two outs.
Bauman then set down the next batter to secure the win for Big Valley.
Big Valley will be back in action Friday at a time, opponent and date to be determined.