NTL BASEBALL: WYALUSING GOES 1-1 IN HIGH SCORING CENTRAL COLUMBIA TOURNAMENT (2024-04-20)

Northern Tier Sports Report
BLOOMSBURG — The Wyalusing baseball team went 1-1 at the Central Columbia tournament on Saturday.

They lost to the hosts, 14-13, but rallied to beat South Williamsport, 11-10, in the consolation game. Both games ended up being walk-offs.

GAME 1

It was back and forth all the way to the end with the Blue Jays taking a 4-1 lead after the first. The Rams tied it up 5-5 in the fourth, with Central retaking the lead in the fifth with four runs.

A 5-run sixth in Wyalusing’s favor saw them go up 10-9, only for the Blue Jays to even things back up again in the bottom half of the inning.

The Rams pushed three runs across in the top half of the seventh, but Central had the final say, scoring four runs in the bottom half for the walk-off win.

Kenny Maps (3-for-4) had a double with 3-RBI and a run scored as Nick Vanderpool (3-for-4) scored four times while driving in two runs.

Trehnon Hugo (2-for-3) had a double with 2-RBI and two runs scored while Hunter House (1-for-4) had a double with 3-RBI.

Casey God (1-for-1) had a double, walked three times, and scored three times with Parker Petlock (1-for-3) scoring twice.

Kaeden Kusmierz (1-for-3) had a hit, Isaac Shaffer scored a run, and CJ Carr drove one in.

Vanderpool got the start, going four innings as he struck out two with six walks, six hits, seven runs, four of which were earned.

Carr went the final 2 2/3-innings with one strikeout, five hits, one walk, and seven runs, three of which were earned.

In the top of the first the Rams pushed one across as Vanderpool singled and later stole home.

Down 4-1 entering the third Vanderpool led off with a hit. He later scored on a Hugo single, followed by Mapes singling in Hugo to make it 4-3.

Central got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, but the Rams weren’t done, tying it up in the top of the fourth.

Petlock led off with a hit, followed by God rocking a double. A Carr ground out brought Petlock home, followed by God scoring on a Vanderpool sacrifice fly.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth when Central pushed four across, thanks to a 3-run triple with two outs.

Wyalusing fought back in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs, all with two outs.

God had a 1-out walk, followed by Vanderpool keeping the drive alive with a 2-out single. Hugo would walk to load the bases, setting up Mapes’ 2-run single to make it 9-7.

After a walk to Shaffer House emptied the bases with a 3-run double for a 10-9 lead.

The Blue Jays got one back in the bottom half of the inning to tie things up again.

In the top of the seventh Petlock and God drew black to back walks to start the inning. After a sacrifice bunt by Carr Petlock scored on an error off the bat of Vanderpool.

That was followed by a 2-run double from Hugo to make it 13-10.

In the bottom half of the inning Carr retired the first two batters but the next three Central hitters all reached on three straight hits, including a triple.

Then back to back errors by the Rams allowed Central to walk it off.

GAME 2

Down by as much as 10-0 the Rams rallied to earn a walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh when Nick Salsman drew a bases loaded walk on five pitches that brought Vanderpool in to score.

Hugo (2-for-3) had the big bat, hitting a home run to go with 3-RBI and a run scored, while Kusmierz (3-for-4) had a day with three runs scored.

Mapes (1-for-2) walked three times and drove in a run as House (1-for-3) scored.

God, Carr, and Vanderpool all scored and drove in a run as Salsman had the game winning RBI. Petlock crossed home twice, as well.

Petlock got the start, going 5 2/3-innings with two walks, nine hits, and 10 runs, three of which were earned.

Salsman went 1 1/3-innings with two walks but no hits or runs.

South scored three in the first and seven in the top of the third to take their 10-0 lead.

Wyalusing answered with three in the bottom of the third as a Kusmierz single followed by walks to Petlock and God loaded the bases.

A Carr ground out brought in Kusmierz, followed by Petlock scoring on a Vanderpool ground out. Hugo then singled in God to cut it to 10-3.

It stayed that way until the bottom of the fifth when Hugo took a 2-2 offering over the left field fence to cut it to 10-4.

The Rams got out of a bases loaded jam in the top of the sixth, then rallied with two outs to score three runs in the bottom half of the inning.

House walked, followed by Kusmierz getting a hit. After a Carr walk Vanderpool brought in Liam Franklin, running for House, to cut it to 10-5.

Walks to Hugo and Mapes added two more runs for the Rams as they made it a 3-run game.

Then in the seventh House led off by reaching on an error, followed by Kusmierz singling.

Petlock would reach on an error to load the bases, setting up God’s run scoring ground out to cut it to 10-8.

South would get another out, but an error off the bat of Vanderpool scored Kusmierz to make it a 1-run game.

South would follow by intentionally walking Hugo, but then Petlock scored on a wild pitch to knot the game up.

Mapes was then intentionally walked, setting up the walk to Salsman that gave them the win.

Wyalusing (5-3) will travel to Towanda on Wednesday.