Bellefonte baseball wins Class 4A state championship, making Centre County history
Bellefonte pitcher Dominic Capperella cradled the state championship trophy after Saturday’s history-making win — and no teammate even attempted to pry it away from the respected senior.
“If our athletic director lets me, I’m probably going to go home and sleep with this thing,” Capperella said with a wide smile. “If she’ll let me.”
Capperella and the Red Raiders all celebrated and playfully chomped into their gold medals Saturday afternoon after cruising to a 7-1 victory against Dallas in the PIAA Class 4A baseball championship. They hoisted the wooden trophy only hours after Bald Eagle Area baseball celebrated their Class 2A title at Medlar FIeld at Lubrano Park — making this the first time two Centre County baseball teams ever won a state title in the same year.
For Bellefonte, the win meant it finished the season with a hat trick of accolades: the Mountain League title, the District 6 championship — and the state title.
“It means everything,” said junior Levi Purnell, who finished with a game-leading three RBIs. “It puts another year up on our (championship) banner inside our gym. It shows our hard work and dedication to the game, and our love for each other. We’re brothers.”
Purnell’s bottom lip began to quiver when he started talking about his pitcher and how much Capperella meant to this team, especially after two first-round exits in the state tournament the past two years. After the final out Saturday, Purnell ran toward the infield dogpile to find his longtime friend and pitcher to celebrate together.
Their head coach, Jon Clark, couldn’t have been happier for them.
“It’s everything I thought it would be and more,” Clark said about winning the state championship. “So excited for the kids, knowing all the work they put in. The seniors, I couldn’t be more happy for them. And I’m just appreciative to be along for the ride.”
Capperella pitched a complete game, scattering six hits while striking out five and walking two. But it might’ve been his friend and teammate since Little League, Purnell, who was responsible for the game’s turning point.
In the third frame, with Bellefonte nursing a 2-1 lead, Purnell found himself in a high-pressure situation. With two outs and the bases loaded — thanks to two walks and a Braedyn Kormanic single — Purnell faced a 1-2 count, before waiting on a fastball and sending a hard line drive past the second baseman into right-center. The hit drove in two runs to increase the lead to 4-1.
But, with runners on the corners, Purnell wasn’t done yet.
The plodding designated hitter took off for second base in what first appeared to be an ill-advised steal attempt. The runner on third initially stuttered before sprinting home on a double steal; the catcher’s throw to second then sailed wide into the outfield, plating pinch runner Ethan Tomasacci. Bellefonte led 5-1.
“That was actually my first stolen base,” Purnell said with a laugh. “My coach, one day at practice says, ‘I am never going to give you a steal sign. Ever.’ I go, all right, I agree with that. But today was the day.”
Bellefonte’s fans stood up and applauded after the play, twirling their red towels, as players pumped their fists and high-fived in the dugout. That frame represented a seismic shift in the momentum, one the Red Raiders didn’t try to downplay.
“I just felt the energy explode from everybody, and felt it from the crowd and the dugout,” said shortstop Triston Heckman, who finished with two RBIs. “I felt like we kind of had it in the bag right there.”
Dallas threatened twice more, but Capperella slipped out of jams both times. In the top of the third, with two runners on base and one out, Bellefonte’s pitcher induced an infield fly and then a strikeout. In the top of the fifth, with no outs and two runners on base, Capperella retired three in a row: fly out, fielder’s choice, fielder’s choice.
Four Bellefonte batters finished with two hits apiece in the winning effort — Purnell, Josh Brown, Trevor Johnson and Peyton Vancas — while Johnson and Heckman added two runs apiece.
After the final out, the dugout emptied in celebration as the scene replayed from earlier in the day when Bald Eagle Area won the Class 2A title. Bellefonte’s players jumped, hugged and shouted near the pitcher’s mound before the mass of players collapsed in the infield and dogpiled on one another.
“I was worried I was going to get hurt,” Capperella said with a laugh. “It was worth it.”
The victory marks Bellefonte’s second state championship since 2016 and ends the Red Raiders’ season with a 20-5 record. Dallas finishes 18-9.
Bellefonte’s loud, red-wearing contingent appeared to outnumber every fanbase at the ballpark Saturday — not all that surprising, given their proximity to Penn State. But it appeared there were at least twice as many Bellefonte fans than total attendance at the Class 6A championship, which took place in the late afternoon.
They offered their school a standing ovation after the win, clapping through each player’s name and staying back until the champions finally walked off the field — after receiving their gold medals, posing for photos by chomping into their medals and touching the championship trophy.
“It’s such a surreal feeling,” Heckman added. “We’ve been together since we were 8 years old, this group here, and there’s very good camaraderie between us. This was just amazing. Surreal.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2023 at 3:29 PM.
