Mifflin County battles into extras, falls to Patriots in nine innings

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: May 8, 2023

By Kenny Varner

LEWISTOWN – In a Monday showdown at MIfflin County, the Huskies’ baseball team hosted Red Land in Mid-Penn action.

The Huskies were looking to get back in the win column after the weekend off.

The Patriots took the first meeting, winning a 13-9 contest.

With the Huskies looking for a win to even the series, the Patriots had other ideas as the Huskies battled but fell short in a 9-inning affair, 15-6.

Offensively, the Huskies were led by the 2-for-2 effort by Xavier Smith. Smith had a triple and a solo home run in the hard luck loss.

Landen Eichhorn started for the Huskies on the Mound while the Patriots countered with Colden Warren.

Red Land opened the first inning posting three.

But the Huskies took back a run when Xavier Smith blasted a solo shot over the left field fence, making it a 3-1 contest.

In the third, the Patriots added another run on a solo shot from Cooper Artley.

However, that would the last run Red Land would get in the inning as Eichhorn struck out 2-of-3 in the inning to keep it at 4-1.

Mifflin County proved that patience is a virtues in the bottom of the inning with Tucker Gill, Tye Plank and Smith all walking to load the bases with one out.

Ryan Hine hit a laser shot that was brought down by a leaping Josh Vols, robbing Hine off extra bases and MIfflin County on runs.

Red Landed added its fifth run in the top of the fourth. Ty Kaunas doubled down third, stole third and later scored on an RBI fielders choice by David Thomas.

Back came the Huskies in the bottom of the inning.

Calin McKnight led off with a single into right field. He advanced to second on a balk and then third via a wild pitch.

Catcher Ryan Kanagy roped a liner into right, bringing home McKnight on the play.

Going into the fifth, MIfflin County got the game within three again, 5-2.

However, the Patriots added an insurance run in the sixth upping their lead to 6-2.

Mifflin County rallied for a run in the sixth.

Smith added a triple to his day, leading off the Huskies offense.

Ryan Hine bounced into to an RBI fielders’ choice, upping it to a 6-3 contest.

The Huskies started to rally in the seventh, Doug Weaver singled to start.

Madden Weaver placed a bunt that was mishandled at first, putting runners on first and third with no out.

Gill tried to help as he hustled out a second Red Land miscue, scoring Doug Weaver, cutting it to 6-4.

The run chased starting pitcher Warren out of the game.

In came teammate, Nathan Seibert.

With two outs, Seibert intentionally walked Smith, loading the bases.

Ryan Hine made the most of his clutch at bat, blasting back a 2-RBI single, tying things at six and sending the game into extras.

The game would head into the ninth tied at six.

Red Land found the hits in the ninth, posting nine run en route to the victory.

With the loss the Huskies fall to 5-11 and 3-9 in the Mid-Penn.

Red Land 15, MIfflin County 6

RL 301 100 001 9- 15 17 2

MC 100 101 300 0- 6 8 2

WP: Nathan Seibert

LP: Jacob Ross

Multiple hitters: RL – Ty Kaunas 3-for-6, Josh Vols 2-for-2, Anderson French 3-for-5, Brett Minnich 2-for-6, Cooper Artley 4-for-6, MC – Xavier Smith 2-for-2.

HR: MC – X. Smith . RL – Cooper Artley

3B: RL – None . MC – Smith.

2B: RL – Ty Kaunas, Artley. MC – None.