Back Mountain National rolls to District 31 Major Baseball title

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JENKINS TWP. — Having already made a dominant run through the District 31 field in pool play, Back Mountain National made their final statement Monday night with the district championship on the line.

Carter Samanas threw three no-hit innings, and the National bats knocked out 15 runs on 12 hits to beat Greater Wyoming Area 15-0 in three innings to win the District 31 Major Baseball championship.

Ben Nulton ripped a liner into center field to score the final two runs and trigger the mercy rule, putting an exclamation point on an absolute clinic from Back Mountain National.

“These boys work, their bats do come alive,” said Back Mountain National manager Rich Samanas. “We get each other pumped up, we see who hit before us and we set them up.”

Carter Samanas struck out seven hitters, including the last six outs he recorded over the second and third innings. A walk and two GWA hitters reaching on errors were the only blemishes on his line.

Hitting out of the cleanup spot, Samanas also drove in the first two runs of the game with a base hit, scoring Nulton and Kellan DeFalco.

Back Mountain National added a third run on an RBI single from Nick Federici before GWA was able to get out of the inning with a double play, stranding two more potential runs.

The offensive onslaught picked up with five more runs in the second, Samanas picking up his third RBI with a fielder’s choice while a few more runs were able to score off of some throwing errors from GWA.

The National lineup finished the job with a seven-spot in the third inning, with their first five hitters all reaching and scoring. Mattie Lapidus had a two-run double, DeFalco and Jordan Medrano each singled in runs and Nulton provided the final blow with a two-run single.

All 12 hitters in the Back Mountain National lineup reached base safely, and 11 of them came around to score at least once in a winning effort that got the whole ballclub involved.

GWA’s best chance to score was in the top of the first, where Kellan Bradshaw reached on error and Nate Lewis worked a walk, both runners moving up on a wild pitch to put two runners in scoring position with two outs.

Samanas left both runners right where they were, getting out of the inning on a routine grounder to second.

“Carter threw great, he was getting a little frustrated with some low pitches,” Rich Samanas said. “You’ve got to relax yourself, turn the page…he stayed in the zone.”

Back Mountain National will advance to the Section 5 Major Baseball tournament, starting on Sunday at the Back Mountain Little League.

District 31 Major Baseball Championship

Back Mountain National 15, Greater Wyoming Area 0 (3 inn.)

Greater Wyo. Area`AB`R`H`BI

Evans cf`1`0`0`0

Bradshaw c`1`0`0`0

Kivak ss`1`0`0`0

Lewis p`0`0`0`0

Labar 1b`1`0`0`0

Wardell 2b`1`0`0`0

Pacelli rf`1`0`0`0

Laskaris 3b`1`0`0`0

Snyder lf`1`0`0`0

Reynolds eh`1`0`0`0

Lazarowicz eh`1`0`0`0

Smith eh`1`0`0`0

Kohler eh`0`0`0`0

Totals`11`0`0`0

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

VanValkenburgh c`1`2`0`0

DeFalco ss`3`2`2`1

Nulton cf`3`1`2`2

Samanas p`2`1`1`3

Federici 1b`2`0`1`1

Engel rf`1`1`1`0

Kovach 2b`1`1`1`0

Lapidus eh`2`1`1`2

Medrano 3b`1`2`1`1

Greblunas lf`0`2`0`0

Dieffenbacher eh`2`1`1`1

Ronczka eh`2`1`1`1

Totals`20`15`12`12

Greater Wyo. Area`000 — 0

Back Mt. National`357 — 15

2B — DeFalco, Nulton, Engel, Lapidus.

Greater Wyo. Area`IP`H`R`ER`BB`SO

Evans (L)`1`7`7`7`1`1

Lewis`1`3`5`4`0`0

Bradshaw`0.2`2`3`3`1`0

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

Samanas (W)`3`0`0`0`1`7