Bellefonte baseball, State College baseball/softball advance to district championships
Three county teams are moving on to their respective district championships, in both the Bellefonte baseball and the State College baseball and softball squads.
Bellefonte baseball blitzed Greater Johnstown 11-1 Friday in five innings, while State College baseball held on to a 6-2 win Friday against Mifflin County. On Thursday, the Lady Little Lions’ softball team pummeled Altoona 17-0 in a mercy rule-shortened four innings.
Here’s a closer look at Thursday’s and Friday’s games, and what awaits the rest of the county:
Baseball
Bellefonte 11, Greater Johnstown 1 (5 innings): The Red Raiders took the early advantage here, leading 8-0 after the first two frames, and cruised to an easy win. Sophomore Bobby Marsh had thee RBIs on three hits, and senior Ashton Wetzler allowed one hit and struck out eight. Next up is the District 5/6 championship, where No. 2-seed Bellefonte will take on top-seed Somerset on Wednesday at the Altoona Curve’s Peoples Natural Gas Field.
State College 6, Mifflin County 2: The Little Lions played Mifflin County exactly a week ago in a regular-season tilt and watched a 5-0 lead dissolve into a 6-5 loss in the final half-inning. History didn’t repeat itself Friday as State College hung on for the win to advance to the district championship against top-seed Altoona. The district title game will take place at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the Altoona Curve’s Peoples Natural Gas Field.
Upcoming games
Class A: No. 6-seed St. Joseph’s at No. 3-seed Saltsburg, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 3A: No. 8-seed Penns Valley at No. 1-seed Tyrone, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 3A: No. 6-seed Philipsburg-Osceola at No. 3-seed Richland, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 4A (Championship): No. 2-seed Bellefonte vs. No. 1-seed Somerset, 4 p.m. Wednesday (at PNG Field)
Class 6A (Championship): No. 3-seed State College vs. No. 1-seed Mifflin County, 1 p.m. Wednesday (at PNG Field)
Softball
State College 17, Altoona 0 (4 innings): More than half of the Lady Little Lions’ lineup had multiple hits Thursday against an overmatched Altoona. Among them were Addie Wasikonis (2 hits, 3 runs, 3 RBIs), McKenzie Shannon (2 hits, 2 RBIs), Ashley Thomas (2 hits, 2 runs), Morgan Arnold (2 hits, 3 runs, 4 RBIs) and Brandi Triebold (2 hits, 4 RBIs). With the win, State College advances to Wednesday’s district championship game against top-seed Mifflin County. State College has beaten Mifflin County twice this season already by scores of 12-9 and 13-3.
Upcoming games
Class 3A: No. 8-seed Penns Valley at No. 1-seed Chestnut Ridge, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 3A: No. 6-seed Mount Union at No. 3-seed Philipsburg-Osceola, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 3A: No. 2-seed Bald Eagle Area at No. 7-seed Penn Cambria, 4 p.m. Monday
Class 4A: No. 4-seed Bellefonte at No. 1-seed Greater Johnstown, 4 p.m. Thursday
Class 6A (Championship): No. 2-seed State College vs. No. 1-seed Mifflin County, 5 p.m. Wednesday (at St. Francis)