Fresh from a win over possibly one of the best Double-A teams in the district a night before, Bellwood-Antis traveled to Glendale for their second game in as many days. After coming back from a 7-0 deficit to down Philipsburg-Osceola 10-8 on Monday, the Blue Devils tried to beat the rain by moving their game at Glendale up from Wednesday to Tuesday.
You have all heard the adage, “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” That was proven Tuesday when the game had to be called after three innings.
The Blue Devils jumped out to a great start with a five-spot in the first inning before Glendale even had a chance to bat, then added four more in the second and a single tally in the third to take a 10-1 lead, but with a steady rain falling, the umpires couldn’t see it improving and therefore called the game. If a date can be arranged, the game will be finished by picking it up at the spot where it was called, with B-A just coming to bat in the top of the fourth inning. A possible problem is that with the new MAC schedule, the two teams are scheduled to play each other only once this season.
Bellwood-Antis struck for five in the top of the first with Andy Brisbin receiving a walk to begin the ballgame. Tyler McClellan bunted the B-A junior to second and Shawn Weiand scored Brisbin with a double into the gap in left-center. Matt Albright drew a walk and Troy Brunner smacked another double to drive in both Weiand and Albright. Chris Alley walked while Brunner was going to third on a wild pitch. Nick Treese singled home Brunner. Alley stole second base and eventually scored the final run of the inning on a wild pitch.
Brisbin gave the second inning a jump start with a double to left. McClellan and Weiand both walked and Albright plated Brisbin with a sacrifice fly to center field. Brunner singled to left and McClellan was gunned down at the plate trying to score from second base on a perfect relay. Chris Alley, the next hitter, cleared the bases with a three-run home run for a 9-1 lead.
In the third inning, with rain beginning to steadily fall, B-A pitcher Ernie Kelley walked to lead off the frame, Kelley advanced to second on a wild pitch and when Brisbin struck out on a low pitch that bounced away temporarily from Glendale catcher Bobby Hewitt. Hewitt grabbed the ball and throw to first to get Brisbin, but Kelley was able to get to third on the play. With two outs, Glendale muffed a fly ball by Weiand to allow Kelley to score.
Kelley, a freshman left-hander, allowed one run in three innings, a first-inning lead-off home run by Richie Ball, struck out two, walked two, hit a batter and gave up two hits in an encouraging performance in his first varsity start.
Glendale was sloppy on the bases, wasting a chance to do more damage in the first, getting one runner caught in a run-down for the third out of the inning after he was safe on the Blue Devils’ only error of the game and another ventured too far off the base after getting walked and Kelley picked him clean for the second out.
Alley led the attack with a home run and walk and three RBIs and Brunner and Treese had two hits each. Brisbin, Weiand and Brunner each scored twice and Brunner knocked in two runs.
Weather permitting, Bellwood-Antis will host Claysburg-Kimmel on Friday at Stadium Drive field with the first pitch set for 3:30 p.m.
