H.S. Highlights: Forbes Road rallies past Spartans
Early in Thursday afternoon's baseball game, it wasn't looking good for the Forbes Road Cardinals.
McConnellsburg put up two runs in the second inning and led 4-1 more than halfway through the game. But the Cardinals exploded for four runs in the final three innings and captured a Sideling Hill/Inter-County Conference victory, 5-4.
The Cardinals (2-1, 2-1 SHL/ICC) headed into the bottom of the seventh trailing 4-3. Brycen Hohman led off the inning with a single, and Matt Brown bunted for a hit to put a pair on base. Weylin Mitchell also bunted for a hit, and Hohman scored on a throwing error. Grayson Hall then walked to load the bases, and Lane Kendall hit a sacrifice fly to score the winning run.
“(Ryan) Koontz (for McConnellsburg) and Hall both threw excellent games,” Forbes Road coach Randy Gelvin said. “It was a rather well-played game with few errors.”
McConnellsburg (1-1, 1-1 SHL/ICC) had only one error, but it proved quite costly.
Landon Richards and Quintin Miller each had a pair of hits for the Spartans, while Hohman and Hall had two singles apiece for the Cardinals.
PLAYER OF THE DAY
Chambersburg’s Leah Hunt came up in a dangerous situation in Thursday’s Mid Penn Commonwealth Division softball game.
Dangerous for Mifflin County, that is.
Hunt, who already put the Trojans on the board with a two-run double in the top of the first inning, whacked a three-run home run to left field in the top of the eighth inning to lift her team to a 5-2 victory.
“We got two on with one out and when Leah came up, their coach called time,” Chambersburg coach Chris Skultety said. “I called (the runners and Hunt) together and said, ‘Now when Leah hits this in the gap, make sure you get all the way home.’
“Then she hit an absolute missile - it went over the fence by only about five feet, but probably carried 300 feet - and when she came around third she said, ‘I guess it’s OK I didn’t hit it in the gap.’”
Hunt also picked up the win on the mound by pitching the final four shutout innings.
“She got out of a jam in the bottom of the seventh,” Skultety said. “We made our first error and she had a walk, but with one out she closed the door by striking out their No. 3 and 4 hitters.”
Tara Harmon was 3-for-4 and Laken Myers had two hits for the Trojans (2-0, 2-0 MPC).
SCORES
Baseball
Chestnut Ridge 5, Southern Fulton 4: Southern Fulton ran into a strong pitcher in Chestnut Ridge’s Phillip Dull, and it resulted in a Sideling Hill League loss for the Indians. Although SF (2-1, 2-1 SHL) managed seven hits, it was struck out a season-high 10 times, including seven by Dull. Zach Clark led SF with two hits, while Coope Grove drove in a pair of runs.
Mercersburg Academy JVs 8, Cumb. Valley Christian 7: The Blue Storm led 8-0 until a late rally by the Blazers (0-1). Devon Landis was 2-for-4 with a triple for CVC.
Grace Academy 11, Shalom Christian 1: Shalom Christian suffered a five-inning defeat at the hands of Grace in a Mason-Dixon Christian Conference game. Brady Beckner had the only two hits for the Flames (0-2, 0-2 MDCC) and scored their only runs.
Softball
McConnellsburg 5, Forbes Road 3: McConnellsburg did just enough to ensure a Sideling Hill/Inter-County Conference victory over Forbes Road. The Spartans (2-2, 1-1 SHL/ICC) were led by Madison Koontz and Justice Seville, who each had a pair of singles. Despite taking the loss for Forbes (1-2, 1-2 SHL/ICC), Courtney Schoen fanned eight batters.
Fannett-Metal 5, Juniata 2: Now on a three-game win streak, Fannett-Metal picked up a non-league victory over Juniata. The Tigers (3-1) got a complete game from Brooke Harris, who struck out six, and had a two-double performance from Morgan Ritchey, who plated a pair of runs.
Track & field
McConnellsburg sweeps tri-meet: McConnellsburg got off a great start with a sweep for both the boys and girls team. The boys (2-0, 1-0 Inter-County Conference) beat Mercersburg, 83-67, and Juniata Valley, 111-34, while the Lady Spartans (2-0, 1-0 ICC) defeated the Blue Storm, 82-63, and picked up a narrow 80-70 win over the Hornets. Mercersburg’s boys (1-1) beat Juniata Valley, 100-39, while the girls (0-2) lost, 77-70. McConnellsburg’s McKenzie Gelvin had the highlight of the day, picking up overall wins in the 400 (59.7), the 200 (27.1) and the long jump (14-9.5).
Boys lacrosse
Central Dauphin 17, Chambersburg 2: Brandin Cosey and Thomas Elie scored the goals for the Trojans (0-2, 0-1 MPC). In goal, Clayton Schellhase made 10 saves and Jared Seacrest 3 had. The Rams led in shots (42-9) and face-offs (15-5).
St. James 12, Mercersburg 8.
Girls lacrosse
Central Dauphin 16, Chambersburg 3: Kendyl Stewart, Hannah Raines and Liza Ernst scored goals for the Trojans (0-2, 0-1 MPC). Ernst (6) and Rachel Dusman (5) led in ground balls.
Boys tennis
James Buchanan 5, Susquehanna Twp. 0: Jalen Ayers and Noah Shank completed a hard-fought win at No. 2 doubles to complete a non-league sweep of Susquehanna Township. The duo won 7-5, 3-6, 6-4, and JB is now 7-0 on the season.
Girls soccer
Shalom Christian 6, Grace Academy 0: Lexy Poe scored a hat trick for the second straight game and the Flames (1-1, 1-1 MDCC) also 2 goals from Brooke Emge and one from Lydia Harris.