NTL BASEBALL: WYALUSING USES FAST START TO DOWN SOUTHERN COLUMBIA (2023-05-20)

Northern Tier Sports Report
WYALUSING — Wyalusing took care of business Saturday, beating Southern Columbia 7-0 during District IV, Class AA quarterfinal baseball action.

Blake Morningstar tossed five innings of 2-hit baseball, striking out 11 while allowing two walks to get the win. 

“Early on I was a little too amped up, and I didn’t really have great fastball control today,” he said. “It’s not something I’d struggled with all year. My slider was working, and when I needed to I pitched out of jams.”

Hunter House finished out, striking out two with two walks, and two hits.

“I have a ton of confidence when Hunter comes in,” said Morningstar. “He’s a great change of pace, and does a great job pounding the zone. He pitches out of jams, too.”

Wyalusing got two big ones in the first off a Morningstar hit, then added three more in the second for a 5-0 lead. 

“Setting the tone, and scoring five runs (over the) first two innings was exactly what we wanted to do,” said Wyalusing coach Nick Vanderpool. “That was big, especially with Blake on the mound. With a kid like Blake on the mound, you get a lead, and it puts a lot of pressure on the other team. They have to play pretty much perfect baseball the rest of the way to try to get you.”

“I felt the kid kind of had a funky arm angle,” Morningstar said about the Southern pitcher. “And a little bit of a weird quick pitch. It was hard to time up initially, but I just kept my head down, and stayed through the ball to get a nice little 2-RBI single to get the ball rolling. It kind of snowballed from there.”

They tacked on a run in the third and fourth innings to pull away.

Nick Vanderpool Jr. (2-for-3) scored a run, and had 2-RBI, while Morningstar (1-for-3) had the 2-RBI. Trehnon Hugo (1-for-3) scored twice, and drove in a run, as Isaac Shaffer (1-for-2) had a double with a run scored.

Robert English (1-for-3) and House (1-for-3) both scored, as well.

Vanderpool Jr. injured his hand, but gutted it out behind the plate. However, that allowed Southern to run a little bit more than the Rams would have liked. 

Morningstar, though, wasn’t fazed.

“I really tried to keep them close, knowing what he’s dealing with hand wise,” he said. “Deep down in my heart I know they can get bases loaded with nobody out, and I can pitch out of it.”

Going forward they’ll take on Canton in the district semifinals on Wednesday, May 24 at Mansfield University with a 4:30 p.m. start.

Hopefully, we can jump out like that against Canton, and punch our ticket to states and get down to Bowman Field,” said coach Vanderpool.

As for Morningstar, he enjoyed one more time on his home mound.

“I’ve had so many memories on this field,” he said. “And it’s my favorite place to play, but we’re going to keep rolling.”

— — 

PROVIDED PHOTOS