Huskies improve to 4-1 with clutch win over CD

By KENNY VARNER

LEWISTOWN – In a rare home game before opening their new field, the Mifflin County Huskies baseball team welcomed Central Dauphin to their temporary field at the Mifflin County Middle School Sports Complex.

The game would be a thriller at the end.

A late run by the Rams made a 6-1 game become a 6-4 contest before the Huskies shut things down to hold onto the one-run victory.

Heading into the top of the seventh, the Huskies were holding onto a 6-2 advantage.

Tom Powell led off the inning with a walk. Teammate Charlie Long was hit by a Aidan Arnold offering, putting runners on first and second.

Brady Smith loaded the bases with a a slow dribbling single.

Conner Havel closed the gap blistering a shot into left, scoring both Powell and Long.

But the Huskies were resourceful as they finished the game when Sam Harris hit into a fielders choice to end the comeback bid.

“This is a team of battlers that’s for sure. We’ve been pitching through the wringer this spring with weather and changes in practices,” said Mifflin County coach Ray Hoppel. “It would be very easy for a group of kids to fold up shop and go home. I can’t say enough good things about this team.  They’ve battled through a lot of adversity this year. I’ve had a lot of team that Ive been proud of over the years. But these guys right now are ranking as high as anybody.”

The Huskies drew first blood in the bottom of the first.

After a scoreless top of the first by Attivo,

Evan Strohecker led off with a single into right field. Reese Christine followed with a walk.

Both scored on a 1-out gap to Centerfield by Madden Weaver, making it a 2-0 lead.

Madden later scored on a sacrifice fly to centerfield by Clay Ammon, giving the home team a 3-0 advantage heading into the second.

Offensively, the Rams started to threaten in the second.

Brady Smith opened with a walk and moved up to second via a sacrifice bunt by Connor Havel.

With one out, Sam Harris also walked, putting runners on first and second.

Ninth hitter Richie Mazzatesta smacked a single into left center scoring Smith.

Attivo ended the inning himself as he snagged a comebacker, keeping the score at 2-1.

Mifflin County again for men on the base paths in the second.

Grady Hoppel led off with a walk.

Strohecker hit his second hit in as many innings, putting runners on first and second setting the stage for Jayden Smith.

Smith was cool under pressure as he took a 1-2 pitch to opposite field, scoring Hoppel and placing Strohecker safely on third.

But that would be all Mifflin County would manage, taking a 4-1 advantage into the third.

Defensively in the third, the Huskies kept the Rams bats in check sending them down 1-2-3.

Highlighting the top part of the inning was a tough groundout by Hoppel.

With two out in the bottom of third, the Huskies had a little 2-out lightning.

Easton Lepley extended the inning with a walk.

Coach Ray Hopple used some strategy to post its fifth run of the game.

With Grady Hopple standing in at the plate, the Huskies manager called for a hit and run and it worked to perfection.

With Lepley moving on the pitch, the Rams second baseman followed him to the base only to have Hopple hit it where the second baseman was allowing Lepley to score on the play.

Mifflin County continued to play sparkling defense in the fourth again sending Central Dauphin 1-2-3.

Strohecker picked up his third hit in the bottom of the inning, smoking a blast to left.

Christine followed with a sizzling shot to right field.

Jayden Smith picked his second hit and RBI pulling the ball to left field, scoring Strohecker.

Going into the fifth, Mifflin County led  6-1.

Despite posting to consecutive singles in the fifth, the Rams were still stymied by the strong pitching of Attivo and a tough defense backing him up.

With the game on the line, the Mifflin County squad was able to close things down in the seventh to take home a 6-4

victory.

The Huskies will be back in action Monday against State College.

Mifflin County  6, Central Dauphin 4

CD  010 001 2 – 4    6 0

MC 311  100  x – 6 10 3

WP: Aidan Attivo

LP: Alex Scaringi

S: Aidan Arnold

Multiple hitters: CD –   Richie Mazzatesta 2-for-2 RBI. MC – Evan Strohecker  3-for-4 2 runs .

HR: CD –   None. MC –    None.

3B: CD –   None. MC –    Madden Weaver

2B: CD –   None. MC –    None.