Little League: Back Mountain National suffers first loss at state tournament

Back Mountain National’s path to the Little League Major Baseball state championship became much more difficult Saturday afternoon.

National took the lead with a five-run fourth inning, but Council Rock Newtown roared back with two big innings for a 9-6 victory in the winners bracket finals at Newville Little League.

Section 5 champion National will now have to win an elimination game on Sunday afternoon and then defeat Section 6 champion Council Rock Newtown twice on Monday to secure the state title.

Trailing 2-0, Carter Samanas and Ben Nulton led off National’s fourth with singles. Nick Federici then hit a three-run home run to left for a 3-2 lead.

National wasn’t done. Consecutive singles by Wyatt Engel, Logan Van Valkenburgh and Mattie Lapidus plated another run, with Lapidus getting an RBI. A fifth run came in when a flyball off the bat of Sam Greblunas was dropped.

National’s 5-2 lead evaporated quickly as Council Rock Newtown scored four runs in the bottom of the fourth. Brayden Peiffer walked to open the inning and Tyler Neeld singled him to third. Consecutive walks to Sav Longo and Greyson Gage forced in a run.

A sacrifice fly by Gavin Caudill moved Council Rock Newtown within 5-4. Ryan Uhl, who hit a solo homer in the third, capped the four-run fourth with a two-run double. The lead increased to 9-5 in the fifth as consecutive doubles by Peiffer and Neeld brought home three runs.

National didn’t muster much offense in the final two innings when Neeld came in to pitch. Nulton’s solo home run to start the sixth was its only hit.

National was unable to score in the second despite singles by Henry Kovach, Van Valkenburgh and Lapidus. Greblunas and Liam Dieffenbacher were hit by pitches in the third, but an inning-ending double play squashed the threat.

8-10 STATE TOURNAMENT

Hollidaysburg 6, Ridley Area 5

Hollidaysburg overcame a 4-0 deficit to edge previously unbeaten Ridley Area and force a final game for the state championship at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Back Mountain Little League.

Sunday’s game will be the third time the teams meet. Ridley Area defeated Hollidaysburg 3-0 in the winners bracket finals on Thursday.

Little League Major Baseball

State Tournament

Council Rock Newtown 9, Back Mtn. National 6

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

DeFalco c`3`0`0`0

Samanas p`2`1`1`0

Nulton cf`3`2`2`1

Federici rf`3`1`1`3

Kovach 2b`3`0`1`0

Engel eh`3`1`1`0

Van Valkenburgh ss`2`1`2`0

Lapidus 1b`2`0`2`1

Medrano 3b`1`0`0`0

Greblunas eh`1`0`0`0

Ronczka eh`2`0`0`0

Dieffenbacher lf`1`0`0`0

Totals`26`6`10`5

CR Newtown`AB`R`H`BI

Hamilton 2b`2`1`0`0

Peiffer ss`1`3`1`1

Neeld 1b`3`1`2`2

Longo p`2`1`2`0

G.Gage rf`2`1`0`1

Caudill cf`1`0`0`1

DaBronzo 3b`1`1`0`0

B.Gage eh`2`0`0`0

Uhl eh`2`1`2`3

Esteves c`1`1`0`0

Siveter eh`2`0`0`0

Wexler lf`0`0`0`0

Totals`19`9`7`8

Back Mtn. National`000`501 — 6

Council Rock Newtown`101`43x — 9

2B — Peiffer, Neeld, Longo, Uhl. HR — Federici, Nulton, Uhl.

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

Samanas (L)`3.1`3`6`6`5`5

Nulton`0.2`1`1`1`2`1

Van Valkenburgh`0.2`3`2`2`1`0

Greblunas`0.1`0`0`0`0`1

Coun. Rock Newtown`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Longo`2.0`3`0`0`0`4

Hamilton`1.1`4`4`4`0`1

Wexler (W)`0.2`2`1`0`1`0

Neeld (S)`2.0`1`1`1`0`3