ELLIOTTSBURG – West Perry moved to 6-0 on the season Saturday and claimed its third straight Perry County Baseball Tournament title in the process.
Fresh off a 15-0 semifinal victory over Newport, the Mustangs again rode the right arm of Ben Dum to another decisive win over Susquenita in the championship. Dum, surrendering just two hits to the Hawks on Wednesday, fired a three-hitter in the Mustangs' 12-1, five-inning clip in the finale.
Mustangs lead-off man Ryan McMillen finished his tournament with a 3-for-3 performance that included his second triple of the afternoon. Dum even chipped in three hits and drove in a run.
Not be outdone was the stickwork of Zach Smith, Chase May and Brendan Hower, each banking a pair of runs batted in. West Perry cracked 22 hits – against five allowed – in the four-team tournament.
McMillen opened with two hits against Newport, charged with six runs in the bottom of the first inning. Game-winning pitcher Trevor Dolin and reliever Joel Clabaugh limited the Buffs to two hits.
Earlier, Susquenita punched its ticket to the final with a 13-1 decision over Greenwood. Brett Morrison's three RBIs and a three-hitter by Jake Nace did the trick. Newport salvaged a consolation round victory over Greenwood, 14-2, as Cole Bower (three runs), Noah Sheaffer and CJ Frank all popped a pair of hits.
TRI-VALLEY
East Juniata 10, Millersburg 0: Cody Bailey went the distance, striking out five against three walks, and Nick Stahr (two RBIs) ripped three hits for the Tigers. Coder only allowed five hits and got added support from backstop Jesse Watts (2-for-4). Connor Keim's two hits led Millersburg.
OTHERS
Mechanicsburg 2, Chambersburg 0: At Memorial Park, Thomas Heenan took charge from about 60-feet from the dish, hurling a complete-game three-hitter at the visiting Trojans. Heenan fanned eight and didn't allow a single extra-base hit. Meanwhile, the Cats broke ahead 2-0 in the second on a Ben Dubas fielder's choice and Parker Beatty sac fly. Hunter Brindle scattered just four hits in the loss.
West York 4, Cedar Cliff 1: Carson Fries proved to be one tough hombre as the complete-game winner granted just two hits to the Colts, one each by Kyle Wickenheiser (RBI) and Alex LaFaver. Fries struck out five and his Bulldogs welcomed five Cedar Cliff errors.
Hershey 11, Carlisle 6: Mere minutes after Eric Marrero's RBI single pulled the Trojans even in the third, Jesse Campbell's two-run single ignited Doug Ruhl's offense at George Bowen Field. Campbell finished 3-for-4 with three RBIs, and Zack Drayer notched two hits and scored twice. Jack Gunkel pitched in four hits for Hershey. Marrero, meanwhile, gathered the win on six workmanlike innings and chipped in three RBIs. Brian Goodling scored half of Carlisle's tally.
Bishop McDevitt 2, York Catholic 0: Irish miscues in the third and seventh innings helped McD claim the road W. The Crusaders scored on an infield error and wild pitch, more than enough to give McD starter John Brubaker the win. Brubaker and reliever Noah Spangler combined on a two-hitter. Pearce Harhigh and Drew Myers belted two hits apiece.
James Buchanan 11, Fannett-Metal 5: Highlighting by the work of Jake Muller (3-for-4), Levi Deike (2-for-4) and Josiah Utermoehlen (2-for-4), the Rockets rang up a swift 6-1 cushion and kept pressing. Deike had two RBIs to help seal five credible innings by game-winner Derek Embly. Embly struck out six and easily survived five walks.
Hamburg 15, Northern Lebanon 0: The Hawks went on the offensive early in Fredericksburg as Joey Cominsky's grand slam fueled the three-inning affair. Cominsky rolled up two hits, seven RBIs, and did not allow a Vikings hit. Brandon Fry also homered.