By Kenny Varner

UNIVERSITY PARK – Two legendary Centre County baseball programs met on the diamond of Medlar Field at Lubrano Park, home of the State College Spikes, as the Bellefonte Red Raiders went head-to-head with State College in Friday night prime time action.

Through six innings, the game was a strong defensive battle as they went into the 6th inning tied at one.

But a 5-run bottom of the sixth by Bellefonte proved to be the deciding factor as the Red Raiders took home the 5-1 victory.

“I thought defensively and pitching we did what we had to do to keep in the ball game. We were struggling a little bit in our hitting. Hitting has been our Achilles heel this year,” said Bellefonte coach Jon Clark. “We talked to the kids and told them to just be disciplined at the plate, making better pitch selections, getting bat on the ball and pressuring the defense. In that inning, the bottom part of our line up came up big. They were much more selective than we had been earlier. We made them throw a few more pitches. We took advantage of a couple walks there. When we had the opportunity to put the bat on the ball we put pressure on the defense. That’s all we could do. I thought we gutted one out there in the end.”

Picking up the victory on the mound for Bellefonte was hurler Zach Lehman who went two full innings without allowing a run. State College’s Max Herncane took the hard fought loss.

Starting the game on the mound for State College was Adam Schirf. Schirf went five innings allowing only two hits and a run. He went up against Red Raiders starter Tristen Heeman.

Bellefonte led off the scoring in the bottom of the first, leadoff hitter Peyton Vancas set the table early on with a triple into the left centerfield gap. He scored on a double by Evan Mattern, giving the Red Raiders the opening run.

However, State College rebounded in the top of the second.

Rowan Walker was hit by a Triston Heeman offering. He stole second and teammate Lucas Bierly joined him on base with a walk. He was replaced on the base path by Oscar Williams, setting the stage for Max Herncane.

Herncane did not disappoint as he slapped a single into right, scoring Walker and knotting the game at one.

Bellefonte was held in check in its part of the second, sending the game into the third tied.

In the third, State College started to threaten. Walker again led the charge. He started the inning off with a single back up the middle.

With two outs, Bierly hustled out an infield hit that was hit deep in the hole at shortstop.

Herncane reached base as well to load the bases.

But Bellefonte ended the threat getting Sebastian Rhoades to fly out to center, keeping it a one-all tie.

Much like in the third, the Little Lions threatened once again as they got  runners on first and second.

Bellefonte again was up for the challenge as they once again held, sending the game into the bottom of the inning still knotted at one.

Shirf was just as successful on the mound as he allowed just two hits in the first five innings.

Bellefonte regained its momentum in the bottom of the sixth.

With one out, Oliver Thornburg walked and was replaced by pinch runner Jack McHail. Zach Lehman followed with a single into shallow left. He was replaced by ponch runner Cole Houser. Cam Lucas loaded the bases with a walk.

Quinton Crothermel grounded out to third as State College forced out McHail. On the play, the Little Lions went for the double play at first but the throw went wide and into right, scoring Houser putting the Red Raiders ahead 2-1.

Bellefonte added another run on a bases loaded walk by Carsen Henry, making it a 3-1 advantage.

Vancas singled to bring home two more runs to add to the Bellefonte lead going into the final stanza 5-1.

From there, the Red Raiders defense kept the Little Lions’ offense at bay in the seventh to take home the victory.

Bellefonte 5, State College 1

SC 010 000 0 – 1  7 1

BE  100 004 x – 5 4 1

WP: Zach Lehman (BE)

LP: Max Herncane (SC)

Multiple hits: SC –   Michael Powell 2-for-3 . BE –  Peyton Vancas 2-for-3 2RBI, run.

HR: SC –   None. BE –   None.

3B: SC –  Michael Powell. BE –   Peyton Vancas.

2B: SC –   None. BE –   Evan Mattern.