Hornets defeat Mansfield in extra innings

By: Ed Weaver  /  May 10, 2014

The Wellsboro Varsity baseball team needed 10 innings to defeat rival Mansfield 2-1 on Friday, May 9.

The Tigers struck early in the first inning as Brady Andrews crossed the plate to put Mansfield up 1-0. The Hornets would battle back as Senior Brian Doty drove in Dawson Prough to tie the game up at 1-1. Neither team would scored again until the Hornets ended it in the 10th.

Senior Cody DeHaas led off the bottom half of the inning and was hit by a pitch to get placed on first base. DeHaas would advance to second on a sacrifice bunt and later stole third to get into scoring position. Senior Brandon Owlett drove in DeHaas for the winning run on a sacrifice fly with DeHaas beating the tag at home plate to give the Hornets the 2-1 NTL Division 1 win.

Earlier in the year Wellsboro lost 5-4 to Mansfield in a battle of two evernly matched teams.

"Both squads have played each other very tough this year," said head coach Philip Prough. "Mansfield's pitching is a little deeper than ours but I think hitting wise we have the advantage. Joe Allen pitched a tremendous game, all the credit goes to him.

"We've struggled this year with walks and all year long we've tried to keep a team under five walks. I don't know what the final total came to tonight but my guess was it was under five. Anytime we can stay in the game we are a team that can hit with anyone else."

Allen pitched 9 innings striking out four and gave up the only run in a no decision. Senior Dylan Prough came on in relief to pitch the final inning to collect the win.

Owlett had two hits on the night while Dawson Prough with a double and a run. DeHaas, Junior Nick Levindoski, Dylan Prough, Doty, and Sophomore Nick Tremper also had hits on the night.

With the win the Hornets improve to 8-8 (4-5 NTL Division 1). The team will be back in action on Monday, May 12 as they travel to Wyalusing.