The last time these two clubs got together, it was a pitching gem, when Bellwood-Antis sophomore right-hander allowed just one hit over the final six innings to pick up a 3-1 victory at Bellwood. Delight turned soon to bewilderment however, when it was found the Blue Devils used a player that head coach Steve Conlon didn’t know was academically ineligible. Bellwood-Antis had to give the victory back, negating what had been the first win of the season for the Blue Devils.
On the return trip to Spring Mills, Bellwood-Antis rode a bases-loaded triple by left fielder Josh Kleinfelter in the fourth inning that broke a 2-2 tie. Winning pitcher Earnie Kelley then singled Kleinfelter home and the Blue Devils never trailed after that, on the way to a 10-6 triumph that improved their record to 3-10. That includes a 3-3 mark over the past six games following the first Penns Valley contest.
While the Blue Devils got out of the gate slowly on Friday afternoon,, Penns Valley scored a run in each of the first two innings to take the early advantage.
In the top of the third inning, Nate Gray and Justin Manning drew back-to-back walks to begin the inning. Gray moved over to third on a throwing error by the Ram catcher, when Gray stole second base and Manning then also stole second to put runners at second and third. With one out, Kelley scored Gray with an RBI fielder’s choice, and L. J. Seidel singled to plate Manning to tie the score.
In the fourth, Brandon Beech beat out an infield single, and Gray and Manning both walked again to load the sacks. The right-hand hitting Kleinfelter belted a shot over the right fielder’s head to the opposite field, to clear the bases and wind up at third. Kelley singled him home with the fourth tally of the frame.
The Rams came back with a run in the fourth and two more in the fifth, all unearned to slice the deficit to 6-5.
At that point, Bellwood-Antis went back to work again.
Justin Miller walked to begin the sixth inning. Gray reached base for the fourth straight time in the game on an infield hit. Manning moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Kelley scored Miller with another fielder’s choice, Gray came home on a passed ball, Seidel doubled to score Kelley, and Chad Coho singled to knock in Seidel to jump the Blue Devil lead back up to a comfortable 10-5.
Kelley picked up the win, scattering nine hits, and giving up six runs, three earned, on nine strikeouts and three walks. Penns Valley scored once in their final at-bat, but the B-A lefty fanned the next batter to end the game.
“We had guys get on base today,” said coach Conlon. “We didn’t have a lot of hits, we had guys taking walks, putting the ball in play and when we had guys on, we got some big hits. Josh hit the ball well, L. J. came up with some big hits. Nate Gray was a great leadoff hitter, on base all day long and scored three runs. And, we got a great pitching performance from Earnie.”
Bellwood-Antis will play host for two teams from Huntingdon County next week welcoming Southern Huntingdon on Monday and Mount Union on Wednesday, with both games starting at 4:30 p.m. at Stadium Drive Field. Then on Friday, the Blue Devils will travel to West Branch for a 4 p.m. contest.
Bellwood-Antis 10 Penns Valley 6
Bellwood-Antis – Gray, ss, 3-3-1; Ju. Manning, 2b, 1-2-0; Kleinfelter, lf, 3-1-1; Kelley, p, 4-1-1; Seidel, 1b, 4-1-2; Coho, 3b, 4-0-1; Winterstein, c, 4-0-1; Beech, cf, 3-1-1; J. Miller, rf, 3-1-0. TOTALS 29-10-8.
Penns Valley – Jo. Kieffer, c, 4-1-1; Brubaker, rf, 3-2-2; Frankenberger, 1b, 4-0-0; D. Alterio, p-3b, 4-1-3; Ja. Kieffer, lf, 4-0-1; Bogus, 3b, 1-1-0; Musser, cf, 1-0-0; Niederer, 2b, 2-0-1; Wingard, cf-p, 2-0-1; Homan, ss, 2-1-0. TOTALS 27-6-9.
Bellwood-Antis 002 404 0 – 10-8-4.
Penns Valley 011 120 1 – 6-9-3.
2B: Seidel, D. Alterio 2, Brubaker.
3B: Kleinfelter
RBI: Kleinfelter 3, Kelley 3, Seidel 2, Coho, D. Alterio 2, Frankenberger, Ja. Kieffer, Wingard.
SB: Gray, Ju. Manning, Beech.
E: J. Miller 2, Kelley, Seidel, Jo. Kieffer, Frankenberger, Niederer.
SO: Kelley 9, D. Alterio 6.
BB: Kelley 3, D. Alterio 7.
WP: Kelley LP: D. Alterio
