Mifflin County 15s finish season as second best in the nation; falls in Babe Ruth World Series title tilt

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: August 18, 2021

EAGLE PASS, Tx – What a run!

The historic run for the Mifflin County 15-year old Babe Ruth team came to a sad end Wednesday as they finished their season as the number two team in the nation, falling to Pacific Southwest 9-1 in the Babe Ruth World Series title tilt.

In its long and soon to be legendary journey the team went from Lock Haven to Scranton and finally to the Babe Ruth World Series in Eagle Pass, Texas.

The team battled throughout the road to Texas and learned how to win different ways and learned how to deal with adversity.

They can truly be called the “Boys of Summer” as they put the whole hopes and dreams of families and fans on their backs and then took us with them on quite a ride.

Just hours after playing a very emotionally draining come from behind victory against New England to advance to the championship game,the group was back on the diamond and just ran out of gas, falling 9-1.

Picking up hits for Mifflin County were Tucker Gill, JP Pannizzo, Ryan Hine and Landen Eichhorn. Pannizzo finished with two hits to lead the Mifflin County offense on the afternoon.

Mifflin County hurler Chris Moon was handed the ball to start on the mound for Mifflin County while Tri-Valley went with Jackson Flora.

Playing the usual role as visitor Mifflin County’s Gill hit a one-out single to start the MC first.

However, he would be left on base as the game went into the bottom of the inning.

Johnny Sheppard led off the bottom of the first with a walk.

Colin Linteo joined Sheppard on base as he was hit by a Mifflin County offering.

Jack Schlicher also joined his teammates on base to load the bases for Austin Harris with no outs.

He flied out to shortstop for the first out.

Mathew Foley picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice, scoring one.

Despite having the bases loaded and no outs, the Mifflin County defense kept the damage to just one run.

Landen Eichhorn led off the second for Mifflin County with a one out scorcher down third base. But he was left stranded.

Leading off for Pacific Southwest was Jacob DeGuzman. DeGuzman singled to start things.

Flora scored DeGuzman on an RBI double.

Tri-Valley added two more in the inning, taking a 4-0 advantage into the third.

Mifflin County bounced back in the fourth with an RBI single by Pannizzo.

Pannizzo brought in Eichhorn for Mifflin County’s only run.

In the sixth, Ryan Hine tried to get Mifflin County back in the score column, posting a 3-out walk. But it would be for not as he was stranded on the base paths.

In the bottom of the sixth, Tri-Valley added five more insurance runs to take a 9-1 advantage into Mifflin County’s last at bat.

Mifflin County made one last run at it as Pannizzo led off with a single and then Hunter Bailey walked, putting runners on first and second with nobody out.

But the deficit was two much for the Mifflin County squad as they closed the book on their historical season with a second place finish, falling 9-1.

But long after the books shut on the tale of their journey a bond was made between the players that will never be broken.

Their legacy will be cemented in Mifflin County history.