Little League: Back Mountain National scores late to post second state victory

As satisfying as the top of the sixth was for Back Mountain National, the bottom of the inning was equally stressful Thursday morning.

National scored three runs in the top of the sixth and then held off a Tri-Town rally attempt for a 4-1 victory in a winners bracket semifinal in the Little League Major Baseball State Tournament at Newville Little League.

Section 5 champion National will be off until 4 p.m. Saturday when it will play Section 6 champion Council Rock Newtown in the winners bracket finals. Council Rock Newtown defeated Section 4 champion North Lebanon 10-0.

National center fielder Nick Federici had the defensive play of the game to seal the win. Section 3 champion Tri-Town had the bases loaded with one out in the sixth when Federici made a diving catch and threw to second for a game-ending double play.

National broke a 1-1 stalemate in the top of the sixth. Jordan Medrano led off with a triple to left field. Logan Van Valkenburgh then dropped down a bunt along the first-base line, beating the throw and scoring Medrano.

Van Valkenburgh moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a sacrifice bunt by Liam Dieffenbacher. Sam Greblunas was hit by a pitch to put runners on the corners. Van Valkenburgh scored on a wild pitch while Kellan DeFalco was batting to make it 3-1. DeFalco then doubled home Greblunas for the 4-1 advantage.

Tri-Town rallied to win its state opener and tried to do so again. A pair of walks and an infield single by Jameson Smith with one out loaded the bases. Federici then snagged a sinking flyball in short center. He threw to second to end the game.

Federici pitched three innings of relief to get the win. Mattie Lapidus faced the final three batters to get the save.

Tri-Town took a 1-0 lead in the first when Kaden Caster doubled and scored on a single by Lyle Hubbler.

National tied the game in the second inning. Henry Kovach led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third on a groundout. He scored when Lapidus singled up the middle.

Tri-Town will play in an elimination game at 7 p.m. Friday.

8-10 BASEBALL

STATE TOURNAMENT

Council Rock Newtown 5, West Point 4

Graeme Becker singled in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth as Section 6 champion Council Rock Newtown stayed alive with a win in the elimination bracket at the Back Mountain Little League.

Logan Bovell was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded as CRN tied the score 4-4 before Becker’s single.

CRN will play Section 4 champion Hollidaysburg at 3 p.m. Friday at Back Mountain in the elimination bracket finals.

Ridley Area 3, Hollidaysburg 0

Simon Burkhart and Kevin Scanlan knocked in runs as Section 8 champion Ridley Area shut out Section 4 champion Hollidaysburg in the winners bracket finals at Back Mountain Little League.

Ridley Area, which scored two runs in the sixth inning, can win the championship with a victory at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Major Baseball State Tournament

Back Mountain National 4, Tri-Town 1

Back Mtn. National`AB`R`H`BI

DeFalco cf`3`0`2`1

Samanas c`2`0`0`0

Nulton p`3`0`0`0

Federici rf`2`0`0`0

Kovach 2b`2`1`1`0

Engel eh`2`0`0`0

Lapidus 1b`2`0`1`1

Medrano 3b`2`1`1`0

Van Valkenburgh ss`2`1`1`1

Ronczka eh`2`0`0`0

Dieffenbacher eh`1`0`0`0

Greblunas eh`1`1`0`0

Totals`24`4`6`3

Tri-Town`AB`R`H`BI

Smith ss`3`0`1`0

Kad.Caster p`3`1`2`0

Hubbler 1b`2`0`1`1

Meckbach cf`1`0`0`0

Kam.Caster 2b`2`0`0`0

Spangler lf`2`0`0`0

Wool 3b`2`0`1`0

Gordner rf`2`0`0`0

Richmond c`2`0`0`0

Jumper eh`1`0`0`0

Swartz eh`0`0`0`0

Kriner eh`2`0`0`0

Totals`22`1`5`1

Back Mountain National`010`003 — 4

Tri-Town`100`000 — 1

2B — DeFalco, Kad.Caster. 3B — Medrano.

Back Mtn. National`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Nulton`2`3`1`1`1`3

Federici (W)`3`1`0`0`3`5

Lapidus (S)`1`1`0`0`0`1

Tri-Town`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Kad.Caster (L)`5`4`2`2`0`7

Hubbler`1`2`2`2`0`1