By Joshua Yoder

MILROY – It was back and forth throughout the game, until lead inning mishaps carried the Foxpro Predators over the Spring Mills Braves by the final score of 13-7 in game one of the CCBL playoffs this past Thursday evening.

The Predators came into the playoffs as the fourth seed while Spring Mills is the fifth seed. and the Braves got on early in the top of the first inning as Jarredd Stover reached first on an infield single, was able to bring in Alec Lose to make it a 1-0 game.

But Foxpro responded in the bottom half of the frame scoring two runs. The first came from a single by Ethan Eichhorn which scored little brother Landen Eichhorn. The second run came in the form of another single from Jayden Smith which brought home Isaiah Kearns.

However, the Braves answered right back in the top of the second with a three run inning. Two of those runs came from a titanic shot by Hayden Feltenberger that also brought home starting pitcher/designated hitter, Hunter Homan. The third run came from a wild pitch which allowed for Mason Greene to find his way home.

Now with the score at 4-2, Foxpro had to fight its way back and eventually even the game at four apiece during the bottom half of the third inning where Calin McKnight hit a SAC fly to center which scored Smith before a single from Landen Eichhorn which drove in Evan Pupo.

The Predators then took the lead in the bottom of the fourth thanks to a passed ball allowing Kearns to score.

The Braves refused to go away and tied the game back up at five apiece with some help from Stover who doubled in Lose.

Things then started to go haywire for Spring Mills during the bottom half of the fifth as errors began to show themselves and Foxpro took advantage scoring four runs in the frame to make it a 9-5 lead for the Predators.

Foxpro then added on four more runs in the following inning taking advantage of some more mishaps from Spring Mills. Overall, the Braves committed six errors for the day.

But despite the setbacks, the Braves continued to battle and made it difficult for the Predators to get three outs. Miles Brooks led off with a solo home run before a triple from Corbin Hamon set up an RBI single from Micah Schrenkal to cut the lead down to 13-7.

Schrenkal, Brooks and Stover all had mult-hit games for Spring Mills. In fact, all but two batters for the Braves had at least a hit in the game.

Ethan Eichhorn went 3-for-4 at the plate for Foxpro while little bro Landen Eichhorn and Smith also had multiple hits. Much like the Braves, the Predators also had all but two batters with at least a hit in the game.

Landen Eichhorn scored the win for Foxpro going five innings with three strikeouts and a walk. Rylan Bailey finished the final two innings with three strikeouts and two walks.

Hunter Homan pitched the first four innings for Spring Mills and collected a strikeout and four walks. Joshua Lieb went one and a third innings and had a strikeout and four walks before Adam Evans finished the final two-thirds inning with a walk.

Foxpro takes a (1-0) lead in the series and will look to complete the sweep while Spring Mills looks to force a third and final game. It all comes down to game number two this coming Sunday at Spring Mills with a game time of 2 p.m.

Best of luck to both teams!

Until Next Time!