NTL BASEBALL: TROY FALLS TO SOUTH IN DISTRICT SEMIFINALS (2024-05-23)

Northern Tier Sports Report
MANSFIELD — Troy couldn’t quite solve South Williamsport’s Kaiser Kistner as the Trojans fell 7-3 in District IV, Class AA baseballs semifinal action Thursday.

“I’m not making any excuses, they out played us,” said Troy coach Lyle Wesneski. “They played with more energy, they came up with key hits in key situations. They threw the curveball pitcher, and we just didn’t hit. We didn’t strikeout but we didn’t square up enough balls on curveballs - he was starting us out, throwing them over for strikes and nibbling, but hats off to them, they’re a good team.”

Troy led 2-0 after the second but South used a 3-run third to take a 1-run lead. That stuck until the top of the sixth, when the Mounties pushed two more across.

They began to pull away in the top fo the seventh with two more runs to go up 7-2. Troy got one back in the bottom half but ran out of outs.

Camden Allen (2-for-3) led the team at the plate while Mason Smith (1-for-4) and Jackson Taylor (1-for-2) also had hits. Camryn Harwick, Joseph Frye, and Taylor all scored as Brendan Gilliland had an RBI.

Harwick started, and went two innings, giving way to Allen in the third. He takes the loss, striking out one with one walk, four hits, and three earned runs.

Allen went the final five innings with one strikeout, five hits, one walk, and four earned runs.

Kistner got the win, going 5 1/3-innings as he finished with 69 pitches. He struck out three with one walk, three hits, and one earned run.

After a scoreless first Allen led off the second with a hit, followed by Lincoln Chimics reaching on an error. Harwick then got hit by a pitch to load the bases.

South was able to keep Troy off the scoreboard, getting the next two outs at home, but Mason Smith would bring in Harwick and Frye for the 2-0 lead.

The Mounties would tie it up in the top of the third using a triple, then the skies opened up Wednesday evening. When they resumed on Thursday South got another run to go up 3-2.

The Trojans didn’t threaten again until the seventh when Jackson got things going a 1-out single. Mason Smith was then hit by a pitch, followed by Clayton Smith getting a hit to load the bases.

Gilliland drove in Taylor with a sacrifice fly to make it 7-3 but Kistner got the ender with a come backer to send South back to the district title game.

They’ll play Wyalusing for the second year in a row on Saturday at noon at Bowman Field.

For Troy the process continues.

“Four years ago they were 5-13, then 8-12, and then they got in last year and lost in the first round,” Wesneski said. “It’s just been step by step progress, we’ve just got to continue to grow and mature.”

They lose a few key seniors but return pitchers Allen and Reed Palmer, along with six members of their starting line-up.

“We’ve got a good, young group,” said Wesneski. “The foundation is laid to get into this position in games like this. It’s huge for the program and huge for the kids.”

As for this year, Wesneski is proud of their NTL title and finishing in the top four of the district playoffs.

“16-5 is a very successful season,” he said. “We played a lot of tough competition, and Wyalusing is still going. I’m happy for them. Canton with some battles, and Mansfield and Athens, and we played South in the regular season, so it’s been a good run. All good things come to an end but I didn’t want it happen today, but it is what it is.”

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PHOTOS BY LANCE LARCOM

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