H.S. BASEBALL: Blue Mountain, Williams Valley advance to league semifinals

“The conditions aren’t great so I was first worrying about the mound and then I got to throwing strikes,” Setlock said. “It was an intense game and they’re a good team so we have to stick to what we’ve been practicing and play our game.”

Aiden Finn led the Eagles lineup with four hits while Josh Hoover had three hits and Cohen Kirby, Brady Strause, Sonny Amato and Setlock each had two hits. Kirby and Strause each had two RBI’s.

Riley Sebastian and Kirby each walked to start the bottom of the first for the Eagles before Strause came through with a two-run single to center field for the 2-0 lead.

“The bottom of our order came through and a lot of guys had good at bats,” Kramer said. “It was situational hitting that came through in the clutch and that was a big difference.”

Setlock sat down the Hurricanes 1-2-3 in the top of the second before Blue Mountain scored another run in the bottom of the second. Aiden Finn singled on a line drive to left field to score Josh Hoover for the 3-0 lead.

Chase Yoder cut into the Schuylkill Haven deficit in the top of the third inning with a two-run single into right center field for the 3-2 deficit.

Setlock shot an RBI groundball single to center field to score Amato for the 4-2 lead in the bottom of the third.

“In order to beat a good team you need guys to step up at the right times and the defense was good too,” Setlock said. “We’re putting the ball in play as much as possible and it’s transitioning to runs.”

Evans stroked a three-run triple to right center field to score Chase Maley, Landon Houck and Landon Trostle for the 5-4 lead in the top of the fourth.

After the Hurricanes took a one run lead to start the fourth, Blue Mountain scored four runs in the fourth and fifth innings to run away for the win.

Amato began the scoring rampage for the Eagles as he singled to right center field to score Strause to knot the score at 5-5.

Setlock sat down Schuylkill Haven 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth before the Eagles scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth, beginning with a Hoover RBI double to right field to score Setlock for the 6-5 lead.

“It’s fun to play when we’re hitting this well and we tried to get Alan (Evans) off the mound once his pitch count got up and we got to the bullpen,” Setlock said.

Andrew Blehm flew out to center field to score Hoover for the 7-5 lead before Kirby stepped up with a two-run double to left field to score Finn for the 9-5 final score.

Schuylkill Haven 5 — Evans P 4 1 3 3 , Trostle 1 1 0 0, Gerber CF 3 1 0 0, Yoder SS 4 0 2 2, Hanniskitz 3B 4 0 0 0, Maley 2B 2 1 0 0, Terefencko RF 3 0 0 0, Houck DH 2 1 0 0, Diehl C 3 0 0 0. 26 5 5 5.

Blue Mountain 9 — Sebastian C 2 2 0 0, Finn LF 4 2 4 1, Kirby 3 0 2 2, Strause 2B 4 1 2 2, Amato RF 4 1 2 1, Clemas P 0 0 0 0, Russo 3B 4 0 0 0, Setlock P 3 1 2 1, Hoover CF 4 2 3 1, Blehm DH 3 0 0 0. 31 9 15 9.

SH (12-9);0;0;2;3;0;0;0;—5

BM (17-4);2;1;1;1;4;0;X;—9

LOB — Schuylkill Haven 5, Blue Mountain 8; 2B — Evans, Yoder 2, Hoover, Amato, Kirby, Setlock; SB — Finn, Strause, Amato, Setlock

Schuylkill Haven

IP H R ER BB K

Evans 4.2 13 8 8 3 1

Yoder 1.1 2 1 1 1 0

Blue Mountain

Setlock 6 5 5 5 5 6

Clemas 1 0 0 0 0 1

Pottsville 6, Williams Valley 3

Williams Valley scored six runs across the first three innings and Cadyn Witmer struck out seven and allowed just three runs to Pottsville’s lineup in 5.1 innings on the mound.

Fletcher Thompson drove in two of the Vikings first three runs in the first two innings before Camden Berger unloaded for a three-run double into right center field for the 6-1 lead in the third.

“In any game it’s important to get on top quick, especially tonight,” Williams Valley coach Steve Barner said. “Cadyn’s been our go-to guy all year long and it showed tonight because he’s one of the best.”

Berger drove in a team-high three runs for Williams Valley while Thompson brought home another two runs. John Rautzahn, Berger and Witmer each doubled for the Vikings extra-base hits.

Thompson came through early in the bottom of the first when he reached on a groundball error to shortstop to score Cole Hubler for the 1-0 lead. Witmer then doubled into center field to score Thompson for the 2-0 lead.

“This group is full of gamers so they’ll go out and compete with anyone for seven innings,” Barner said. “Hopefully we can come out tomorrow and compete with Tri-Valley.”

Witmer sat down Pottsville 1-2-3 in the top of the second on two strikeouts and a groundout and then the Vikings got more run support from Thompson in the bottom of the second.

Thompson singled on a groundball into right field to score Hubler for the 3-0 lead.

Pottsville opened their scoring in the top of the third when Dominic Rynard flew out to center field to score Christian Alvarez for the 3-1 lead.

Rynard walked three straight Williams Valley batters in the bottom of the third before Berger doubled on a fly ball to center field to score three runs for the 6-1 lead.

Mason Bowser shut down Pottsville through the final 1.2 frames, allowing just one hit and striking out two in the fifth inning. a

Pottsville 3 — Trout RF 4 0 2 0, Eroh CF 2 0 0 0, Rynard P 2 0 0 0 1, Clews 3B 4 1 1 0, Hess 2B 1 1 0 0, Ciavarella LF 3 0 0 0, Allen SS 3 0 1 2, Rynard DH 3 0 0 0, Alvarez 1B 3 1 1 0. 25 3 5 3.

Williams Valley 6 — Hubler CF 1 2 0 0, Thompson C 4 1 1 2, Witmer P 2 0 1 1, Rautzahn 2B 4 0 1 0, Deiter LF 3 0 0 0, Trawitz 1B 2 1 0 0, Green 3B 2 1 1 0, Bowser RF 1 1 0 0, Schaeffer RF 1 0 0 0, Berger SS 3 0 1 3. 23 6 5 6.

P (13-8);0;0;1;0;0;2;0;—3

WV (14-7);2;1;3;0;0;0;X;—6

LOB — Pottsville 7, Williams Valley 8; 2B — Trout, Allen, Berger, Rautzahn, Witmer; SB — Deiter, Thompson 2, Hubler 2, Schaeffer

Pottsville

IP H R ER BB K

Rynard 2.1 2 6 5 7 3

Hess 3.2 3 0 0 2 4

Williams Valley

Witmer 5.1 4 3 2 4 7

Bowser 1.2 1 0 0 2 2