Hornets knock off undefeated Tigers in extras

By: Ed Weaver  /  April 16, 2016

The Wellsboro Varsity Baseball team picked up their second win of the season by knocking off previously undefeated North Penn-Mansfield 10-9 in extra innings on Friday, April 15.

North Penn-Mansfield took an early 2-0 lead in the top half of the first inning but the Hornets came out swinging in the bottom half and scored 9 runs to jump out to a commanding lead over the rival Tigers. Mansfield chipped away at Wellsboro's lead as they scored runs in the second, fourth, and fifth, then got 3 back in the sixth before tying it with one run in the seventh.

The Hornets pulled out the win in extra innings as the bases were loaded for senior Larry Walters. Walters executed a suicide squeeze bunt with a 2-2 count to score senior Nick Tremper, who avoided a play at the plate to score the game's winning run in time.

Walters, who only has 6 career hits in 22 career at-bats, delivered when the team needed him most.

"We had Nick on third and Coach Prough called for a sac bunt," Walters said. "I'm thinking 'did he really just call that?', but I did it anyway and got a good bunt down to get Nick home."

The win was also a milestone for head coach Philip Prough as he picked up his 50th career win as the Hornets' skipper.

"Tonight was a huge rivalry game and another Mansfield-Wellsboro classic," Prough said. "We made plays early and hit the ball well but Mansfield crawled back in it and when we had opportunities to end scoing threats we simply didn't do it.

"I couldn't be happier for the kids tonight, they battled and fought back against one of the toughest pitchers in the NTL with J.P. Shaw and stayed disciplined at the plate," Prough continued. "We're really excited with the effort the kids gave tonight and when you're missing three starters to injury guys have to step up and they did that in a big way. We still have a lot of work to do, but we're going to enjoy this win and keep improving each game."

Senior Joe Allen started on the mound and pitched 5 2/3 innings for a no decision. Senior Dawson Prough picked up the win in relief in 2 1/3 innings. Tremper was 3-for-4 with 3 RBI's and two runs scored to lead the Hornets at the plate, sophomore Johnny Rowland was 2-for-3, and sophomore Dalton Prough, Dawson Prough, and Walters added the other hits.

The Hornets even up their record at 2-2 before they host Cowanesque Valley on Monday, April 18.