MC Minor all-stars use total team effort in 22-9 win over Nittany Valley

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: June 22, 2019

By Kenny Varner

STRODES MILLS – It was a total team effort.

The Mifflin County Minor League All-Stars opened their contest against a spunky group from Nittany Valley, posting a 13-run first inning.

Despite some spirited efforts on the base paths by their opponents, Mifflin County was able to hold onto the 22-9 4-inning contest Friday night at the Strodes Mills baseball/softball complex.

Leading the way for the “Purple and White” was pitcher Malaina Maxwell who quietly pitched a no-hitter.

“We’ve been working on our patience in practice. They weren’t swinging at any bad pitches and they were letting it come to them,” Mifflin County manager J.B. Baker said. “They really capitalized on their opportunities. All the girls from top to bottom and hit the ball well tonight. We hit the ball 1-9 tonight and they put the ball in play and that’s all you could ask for.”

Offensively, Mifflin County pounded out 13 hits en route to the 13-run victory.

Ava Baker posted a 3-for-3 night with 3RBIs and 4runs. Also posting a triple was Maxwell.

Carly Dickson came off the bench to rope an RBI double.

Teammate Drue Moore went 3-for-4 with 3 runs and four RBIs.

Rounding out the multiple hitters was Emily Porch with a 3-for-3, 4 runs and 2 RBI evening.

Mifflin County lost the coin toss and played the game as the visitors. That had little or no effect on the group as they went through the batting order twice as they played the 13 runs.

Maxwell led off the game with a triple to left field.

Moore, Porch and Baker all walked to load the bases.

Lexi Truitt followed in her teammates footsteps as she picked up an RBI walk.

Emma Norman did the same, making it 2-0 with an RBI walk.

Porch and Baker would play heads up ball on the base paths as both scored on wild pitches.

With one out, Jayda Kanagy poked an RBI infield single. Teammate Layla Osman did the same, taking the line up back to the top of the order, leading 6-0.

After a ground out by Maxwell, Mifflin County went right back to work as they got consecutive singles by Moore and Porch to set the stage for Baker.

She did not disappoint as she blasted a triple deep into left field to clear the bases.

When the dust settled on the inning, Mifflin County had a 13-0 advantage.

Nittany Valley also brought some very patient players to the plate as it battled back to post two runs in the bottom of the inning.

Scoring via walks and eventually past balls were Kylee Narehood and Adrienne Masullo.

Holding an 11-run lead, Mifflin County’s offense continued to make good things happen as it added three more runs to its lead led by singles by Moore and Porch again.

Like in the first, Baker got ahold of a Nittany Valley offering and cleared the bases with a stand up triple.

She later scored on a double by Dickson.

However, Nittany Valley refused to go away without a fight as they once again made the most of their patience and plated four runs.

Scoring in the second were Brenna Weaver, Riley Santostefano, Narehood and Moore, cutting it to 16-6.

But Mifflin County kept chugging along, posting three in the third and forth innings while holding Nittany Valley to just three the rest of the way, sending Mifflin County to a Sunday showdown with rival State College at 6pm.

Major League

STRODES MILLS – After spotting State College a run in the first inning of their second round game, Mifflin County’s offense came alive and outscored State the rest of the way 17-2 also at the Strodes Mills Baseball/Softball Complex.

Picking up the win for Mifflin County was Falynn Reinard. She went the distance and allowed two runs in the 3-inning contest.

Mifflin County posted over 10 hits in the 17-run contest.

Mifflin County stays solidly in place in the winners bracket as it heads into third round play.