Juniata County 13s battle tough but falls to Tri-County in Day 1 of State Action

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: July 11, 2021

MCCALISTERVILLE – Despite giving their best efforts, Juniata County fell short to Tri-County by the final score of 14-8 in the opening round of the Babe Ruth 13U All-star State Baseball Tournament baseball game.

Juniata County got the ball rolling in the bottom of the second inning where Ryder Smith hit a single to right field that brought home Landen Foltz to give Juniata County a 1-0 lead.

But then in the top half of the third inning, Tri-County found themselves in a big situation where the bases were loaded and with only one out. Evan Hoult smacked a single to left field that drove in not one, but two runs as both Jeffrey Swartz and Brett Boyer to give Tri-County a 2-1 lead. Lucas Dryja then took his turn at the plate and hit a single up the middle that added on two more runs scoring both Luke Hagen and Hoult to extend the lead to 4-1. Tristan Ellixson drove in the final run of the frame with a single to left scoring Dryja making it 5-1.

Tri-County kept the momentum going in the top of the fourth where two more runs in the frame. The bases were loaded and Wyatt McCloskey who drew a walk to score Kaiden Kramer. Then later Boyer scored on a wild pitch giving Tri-County a 7-1 lead.

It appeared as though Tri-County nailed the final nail in the coffin in the top of the fifth inning where six runs were scored. Mason Lutchkus scored on a balk before Shayne Hartline reached on an error that scored Ellixson. Then with the bases loaded, Hagen cleared them with massive shot to right field for a three RBI triple. Hoult grounded out to short but brought home Hagen to make it a 13-1 lead.

But Juniata County wasn’t going away quietly as in the bottom half of the fifth, Juniata County got the offense going scoring four runs in the frame. Ian Yetter scored after an error by the pitcher before Kelton Bonnell hammered a double to center that brought home both Justin Stills and Daylyn Kennedy. Foltz then singled to left that scored Bonnell cutting the lead down to 13-5.

In the top of the seventh Lutchkus had a single to left field that drove in McCloskey to make it a 14-5 Tri-County lead.

Then in the bottom half of the seventh, Juniata County made another strong push toward the Tri-County lead starting with having the bases loaded with no outs and Isaac Carlson at the plate. Carlson drew a walk that brought in Stills before Kennedy sneaked his way to home plate tricking the catcher into throwing the ball over to third allowing him to score. Camden Bargo then grounded out to third but scored Bonnell.

Foltz went 3-for-4 with an RBI and a double at the plate. Bonnell was 1-for-3 with a double and Trent Price was 2-for-2.

For Tri-County, Kramer was 2-for-5 at the plate with a double, Hagen went 1-for-2 with a triple and three RBIs, Hoult was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a double and Dryja batted 3-for-5 with two RBIs.

Kennedy got the start for Juniata County going three innings with two strikeouts and four walks. Price pitched an inning with two strikeouts and two walks each. Yetter went two-thirds innings walking two batters. Carson Nipple pitched two and a third innings with no strikeouts or walks.

Hagen pitched the first three innings for Tri-County collecting five strikeouts and walked one batter. McCloskey pitched the next two innings with one strikeout and one walk. Lutchkus pitched one and two-thirds innings with three strikeouts and four walks while Hartline finished the final third inning with no walks or strikeouts.