Towanda tops Wellsboro.

By: The Review | Towanda Daily Review | April 27, 2013

 

Tristan James went the distance as Towanda beat Wellsboro 6-4 in a key NTL baseball cross-over game Friday.

James struck out nine and walked two to earn the win.

"He seemed like he had really good control as evident by only a couple of walks," Wellsboro's coach Philip Prough said. "He really stood out for them."

Towanda coach Bill Sexton was happy with how his offense responded.

"Offensively I'm real pleased with how we executed tonight," he remarked. "We scored in four of the seven innings and had runners in scoring position in six of the seven innings. We had good situational hitting and when they came back on us and tied us we immediately took the lead away from them. We never trailed in the game and everytime it was even we scored."

Sexton was also impressed with his sophomore starter.

"James threw another fine ball game," he commented.

Towanda struck first in the top of the third when Mitch Patel reached second on a double. After moving to third he scored on a fielder's choice by Jared Lines.

Wellsboro scored in the bottom of the fourth to knot the game up at 1-1.

In the fifth Patel scored from second on a Dylan Bates single while in the sixth Austin Markel scored on a single by James.

With the game tied at 3-all going into the seventh Towanda's offense exploded.

With one out Lines walked followed by Bates doubling to put runners on second and third. Nick Place drew an intentional walk with Landon Brown coming in to run for him.

With bases loaded Markel hit a single. Lines scored but Bates was thrown out at home, making it two outs. The throw home put Brown on third and Markel on second.

Sawyer Strope brought them home with a 2-run single to put the Knights up 6-3.

Wellsboro would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning but Towanda held on for the win.

"They were hitting the ball hard in situations," Sexton said about Wellsboro batters.

Lines ended the game with a tough catch on a well hit ball.

"They played good defense behind (James)," Prough commented.

James finished with nine strike outs, two walks, five hits and two earned runs, improving to 3-0 on the year.

Markel went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI while Bates was 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Strope, Patel and James had the other three Towanda hits. Patel scored twice with Lines and Brown also scoring. Strope knocked in two runs while James and Lines also had RBI.

Ben Shaw had a solo home run for the Hornets with two runs scored while Brian Doty, Dylan Prough, Connor Coolidge and Matt Reese had the other hits, all doubles.

Matt Reese started and went the first five innings. Dan Saniga came on in relief in the sixth and pitched 1 1/3-innings, scoring the loss. Brandon Owlett came on for the final 2/3rds of the seventh inning.

Wellsboro will travel to CV with a 3 p.m. start time today.

Towanda will be at the Dunn Field Tournament, taking on Notre Dame with a noon start today.

After a rough game last Saturday Sexton hopes this win will be a turning point for his team as they face more quality opponents today.

"We didn't play well against Mansfield," he said. "Were in a junction of the season where we have to decide what were going to do, have a rough season or move forward and we did that. Hopefully that continues through this weekend. We'll see two good teams tomorrow and again on Monday when we play Canton."

The other two teams in the tournament are Edison and Lansing, ranked fourth and first in Class C for New York.

Canton 3, Wyalusing 1

Early offense was key for the Warriors in their NTL baseball cross-over win Friday.

Canton scored two runs in the bottom of the first, then added another run in the bottom of the fourth to secure the win.

Wyalusing scored their run in the top of the fourth.

Garrett Wesneski earns the win, going three innings to strike out three while allowing two walks and one hit. Chase Pepper came in for four innings of relief, striking out six while allowing two walks, two hits and one run.

Wesneski also had a 2-run double while Emmett Watson, Josiah Bardo and Pepper had hits with Pepper's a double.

Kyle Landis, Connor Route and Pepper scored while John Bowman had an RBI.

Cody Pickett was strong in the loss, striking out two while allowing one walk, four hits, and three runs.

Kyle Tinna, Chad Johnson and Devon Carr had the three Wyalusing hits with Andrew Pickett scoring the run.

Canton will travel to Towanda Monday.

Edison 5, Notre Dame 4

The Crusaders played another close game with IAC power Edison in their loss Friday.

Errors and missed opportunities kept Notre Dame from beating the undefeated Spartans.

"We kind of shot oursleves in the foot with mistakes," Notre Dame coach Bill Hopkins said. "It's hard to fault the kids, they're out there working hard but when you're playing against good teams you have to be able to make those plays."

Both teams scored two runs in the first inning. Notre Dame took a 3-2 lead with a run in the bottom of the fourth while Edison came back with a run in the top of the fifth.

Both teams scored in the sixth to keep it even at 4-4. Edison would take the lead in the top of the seventh with a run.

In the bottom half of the seventh Notre Dame had bases loaded but a hard line drive went right at Edison's first baseman to end the contest.

"I think were a good team but to become a great team you have to be able to play well against a type of opponent like Edison," Hopkins commented. Edison is currently ranked fourth in the state for Class C.

Hunter Thomas went 3-for-4 with two doubles, 2-RBI and a run scored to lead the Crusaders while Aaron Carson was 2-for-4. Tyler Boyes, Kyle Metzger and Kyle Mincih also had hits.

Joe Prunier, Derek Marshall and Minchin scored while Boyles and Minchin knocked in runs.

Thomas went the distance, striking out three while allowing one earned run, 11 hits and three walks.

For Edison Quinton Ketell went 3-for-5 with a double, RBI and two runs scored while Nate Jerusik was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Joe Ducot earned the win.

"It was a fun game to be a part of," Hopkins said. "But it's not fun to lose in the manner we lost."

Notre Dame will take on Towanda in the opening game of the Dunn Field Tournament today at noon.

Newark Valley 3, Tioga 2

The Tigers committed three errors in their close IAC baseball loss Friday.

The Cardinals got on the board in the bottom of the first.

That held until the top of the sixth when Tioga scored two runs to take the lead. Newark Valley added two more runs in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead and earn the win.

Ryan Vergason was 2-for-3 with a run scored to lead the Tigers at the plate. Carter Jackson added a double while Jake Howland, Peter Simmons and Travis Moyer also had hits. Howland scored and knocked in a run in while Simmons also had an RBI.

Jesse Manuel was strong in the loss, striking out nine while allowing one walk, six hits and three runs, only one of which was earned.

Devlin Farr went 2-for-3 with a double and run scored to lead Newark Valley while Tim Smith had two hits, including a double, with a run scored.

Blake Novi started, going five innings to strikeout two while allowing three walks, four hits and no runs.

Mason Shutts came on in relief and scores the win, striking out one while allowing two runs and two hits.

Tigoa hosts Notre Dame Monday.

Cowanesque Valley 12, Northeast Bradford 2, 6 innings

The Indians scored in five of the six innings to pick up an NTL baseball loss Friday.

Jake Burrell went 2-for-3 with a 3-run home run and 4-RBI to lead CV at the plate.

Dakota Corwin and Brandon Whitesell also had home runs while Luke Plummer and Connor Calaman had a hit each.

Ryan Freeman scored four times, Luke Plummer three with Calaman and Brandon McLean also crossing home.

Calaman started and earned the win while Casey McLaughlin threw the last four innings.

Jesse Stroud and Dylan Chapman both had doubles with Stroud adding 2-RBI. Aaron Pifer, Jake Hottle, Austin Saxer and Bryan Ford also had hits.

Pifer and Saxer scored the runs.

Saxer started and earns the loss while Stroud and Chapman also saw action on the mound.

NEB will host Williamson Monday.

Williamson 12, Sayre 2, 5 innings

Errors hurt the Redskins in their NTL baseball cross-over loss.

"We must have had half a dozen or more," Sayre coach Jon Pack said.

Kyle Lake started and earned the loss while Cody Ketter came on in relief.

Wade Tubbs earns the win for the Warriors.

Sayre will host Wellsboro Monday.