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Wray’s Landscaping bats heat up early, defeats scrappy Hartley’s team in MC opener

By Kenny Varner

LEWISTOWN – If Tuesday evening was any indication of the rest of the MIfflin County Major League playoffs will be, it will be one that won’t be forgotten anytime soon.

For three and a half innings, Hartley’s Potato Chips and Wray’s Landscaping was a back and forth battle with each team taking turns at holding the lead.

But in the final two innings, the Wray’s offense exploded led by a 2-run homer by Easton Lepley to take the contest 15-5 in five innings.

Leading things offensively for Wray’s were Kyle Shirk (3-for-3, 2RBIs), Logan Bumgardner (2-for-3,double, 2RBIs), Lepley (1-for-2, 2RBIs), Noah Wray (2-for-2, 2RBIs) and Dylan Wray (2-for-2).

Hartley’s got outstanding performances at the plate from Kyler Baker (2-for-3, RBI).

Others notching hits for the “Red and Black attack” were Brayden Aurand, James Penque and RJ Link.

In the top of the first, Hartley started off the game in a big way, posting three runs.

Kaden Baker led off with a walk and stole second.

Tristan Fultz also walked, putting runners on the corners.

Kyler Baker blasted an RBI single to right field, scoring Kaden Baker and moving Fultz to third. Both would later score, giving their team an early 3-0 advantage.

Back battled Wray’s in the bottom of the inning, cutting the lead to 3-2.

Brayden Benfer led off the inning with a walk. He stole second and then advanced to third on a wild pitch.

Shirk sent a blazing single into center, scoring Benfer.

Shirk later stole second and then third. He would later score on a wild pitch, making it a 3-2 contest.

Defensively, Wray’s shut down things for Hartley’s in the second, leaving them scoreless in the inning.

In the bottom of the second Wray’s took the lead for the first time, plating two more runs.

Luke Shawver opened the inning with a towering shot into the left field corner for a double.

Noah Wray went to right to notch an RBI single, tying the contest at three. On the play, Wray moved up to second on a throw home.

Dylan Wray joined Noah on the base paths as he hustled out an infield single.

Noah Wray gave his team the lead when he scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by teammate Maverick Morrison, making it a 4-3 contest after two.

Hartley’s refused to stay down for long as it was able to post two runs of their own to take back the lead at 5-4.

Baker led things off with a single to left.

Aurand hustled out an infield hit, putting runners on the corners.

Penque smoked an RBI single that just went under the shortstop’s glove.

Aurand would score the team’s second run via a wild pitching.

In the bottom of the inning, Wray’s bats went from simmering to smoking hot, blasting five hits and plating six runs.

Benfer got things started with his second walk of the game.

Shirk sent Benfer home on an RBI double that one hopped the off the fence, tying the game once again.

Bumgardner followed with a towering double of his own, scoring Shirk.

Lepley stood next up to the plate and smoked a high flying shot the easily cleared the centerfield fence, scoring himself and Bumgardner.

Colton Aumiller walked and then stole second, setting the stage for Noah Wray. Wray did not disappoint as he hit a chopper down third base landing him with an RBI stand up double.

Wray later scored on an Elijah Hower RBI fielder’s choice, making it a 10-5 lead going into the fourth.

With momentum in their corner, the defense once again kept Hartley’s from scoring.

In the fourth, Wray’s ended the game by scoring five runs in the inning to give them the 15-5 victory.

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