Back Mountain National celebrates their 14-5 win over Valley View. Fred Adams | For Times Leader DALLAS TWP. — Halfway through Thursday night’s Section 5 championship game, Back Mountain National and Valley View found themselves in yet another dogfight, the third close game between the two teams in a span of five days.
Then Back Mountain flipped the switch, and left little doubt as to who would be heading on to states.
Back Mountain scored seven times in the fourth inning, and outscored Valley View 11-0 over the final three frames to win the Section 5 8-10 Baseball title by a 14-5 final score.
The script remained the same early Thursday as it had been in the two previous meetings, with Valley View taking an early 4-3 lead after one, and adding another run in the third to make it 5-3.
But Back Mountain didn’t just catch up, they caught fire. They batted around the order in the top of the fourth, scoring seven times and taking firm control of the game.
“We’re not known for our hot starts,” Back Mountain National manager Brian Wielgosz said. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish. … The kids fought and they battled, and they did the job.”
Valley View got the first out in the fourth inning, but Mac Hanson got the ball rolling for Back Mountain with a base hit, the first of four consecutive hits. Hanson brought himself around to score, stealing second and advancing all the way to home after the throw got by everyone into the outfield.
After that first out, nine straight batters reached base safely for Back Mountain, wrapping the order back to the top where heavy hitters were waiting.
Oliver Bross had an RBI single in the fourth, one of three hits and two runs driven in for him on the day. Bruce Knowles and Matthew Wycallis each drew bases-loaded walks to bring in a few more runs. It was 10-5 Back Mountain by the time the inning finally ended, and the energy was palpable from the players and fans.
As good as Bross was at the plate, he came up even bigger for Back Mountain on the pitcher’s mound.
Over 3.2 innings in relief of starter Jack Katyl, Bross was brilliant: 3.2 innings pitched, just one earned run on three hits and six strikeouts to earn the win.
He worked out of a jam right when he was brought in, and shut down Valley View the rest of the way.
“(Bross is) our guy … he’s the leader of this team,” Wielgosz said. “He’s the guy who wants the ball in the important spots, he did a fantastic job.”
Hanson came in to pitch the final inning, allowing just a walk and making the final out himself on a grounder back up the middle to jumpstart Back Mountain’s celebration.
Valley View’s season comes to an end as the District 17 champs, with three wins in the sectional tournament (including one over Back Mountain on Tuesday to force the second game Thursday).
Bryce Warnestsky had two hits and two RBI for Valley View, also throwing 3.1 innings as his team’s starting pitcher. Mason Buczynski also had two hits and scored two runs.
“We really fought hard, we never quit, never gave up right to the last out,” Valley View manager Stan Buczynski said. “That’s our whole season, we battled. … We just came up a little bit short.”
Back Mountain National won’t have to travel for the Pennsylvania 8-10 Baseball Tournament, hosted this year at the Back Mountain Little League.
The first-round game will be Monday night at 7 p.m. against Ridley Area Little League, the District 19 and Section 8 champions from Delaware County.
Section 5 8-10 Baseball Championship
Back Mountain National 14, Valley View 5
Back Mt. National`AB`R`H`BI
Wielgosz 2b`1`3`0`0
Bross ss`4`2`3`2
Knowles 1b`2`2`1`1
Katyl p`3`0`0`1
Wycallis c`3`0`2`3
Tribendis lf`4`0`0`0
Hanson cf`2`2`1`0
Salko 3b`2`1`1`0
Page eh`2`1`1`0
Rollins rf`3`1`1`2
Kovach eh`3`1`0`0
Dennis eh`3`1`0`0
Totals`32`14`10`9
Valley View`AB`R`H`BI
Buczynski p`2`2`2`0
Forgione 2b`2`1`0`0
Prutzman ss`2`1`1`1
Warnetsky c`3`1`2`2
Nicastro cf`2`0`0`0
Bauer 3b`2`0`0`0
Malinowski 1b`3`0`0`0
Zadarosni eh`2`0`1`0
Siekierka rf`2`0`0`0
Scoblick lf`0`0`0`0
Moyles eh`2`0`0`0
Heim eh`2`0`0`0
Totals`24`5`6`3
Back Mt. National`300 `713 — 14
Valley View`401 `000 — 5
2B — Bross, Wycallis, Salko. 3B —Zadarosni.
Back Mt. National`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Katyl`1.1`3`4`3`3`1
Bross (W)`3.2`3`1`1`3`6
Hanson`1`0`0`0`1`1
Valley View`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO
Warnestsky (L)`3.1`7`9`7`4`2
Malinowski`0.2`1`2`2`4`1
Forgione`2`1`3`2`2`1
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