Montoursville edges Wellsboro in D4 quarterfinals

By: Ed Weaver  /  May 23, 2019  /  Photo: The Home Page Network

Top-seeded Montoursville edged Wellsboro in the bottom of the 7th inning to score a 3-2 win in the PIAA District IV Class AAA quarterfinals on Wednesday, May 22.

The Warriors took advantage of a Hornet defensive error to jump out to an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the 1st. After that the Hornets settled down and played four innings of shutout baseball before taking over the lead.

As the Hornets started the top of the 5th senior Cam Tennis reached on an error then advanced to third as sophomore Kaeden Mann hit into a fielder's choice but reached 2nd on error to put two men in scoring position. Next at bat junior Billy Lechler singled to right field to score both Tennis and Mann, putting Wellsboro up 2-1.

Wellsboro held the lead until the bottom of the 6th when Montoursville rallied with 2 runs of their own to take back the lead. The Warriors put 2 men on thanks to a single and a hit batter for Dylan Bower. Bower hit into a fielder's choice that brought home Jaxon Dalena to knot the game at 2-all. Bower would score 2 at bats later on another Wellsboro error and Montoursville was able to hold on the rest of the way.

The Hornets were only able to muster 3 hits on the night, with junior Carson Davis leading the way at 2-for-4 at the plate. Lechler had Wellsboro's other base hit and also drove in both runs. Sophomore Zach Rowland pitched a complete game for Wellsboro, giving up 3 runs (2 earned) on 8 hits with 2 walks and a strikeout.

The loss ends the Hornets' season at 11-10 and ends the careers of Tennis and senior Taynton Repard. Tennis finished his career 78-for-270 (.289) with 8 doubles, 63 runs scored, 44 RBIs, 23 walks, and 32 strikeouts. Repard wrapped his career hitting .198 (33-for-167) with 33 runs scored, 6 doubles, 1 triple, 25 RBIs, 27 walks, and 45 strikeouts.