By: Ed Weaver / May 6, 2023
North Penn-Mansfield rallied from a 4-run deficit to defeat rival Wellsboro 11-5 on Friday, May 5.
Wellsboro took the early lead, scoring a pair of runs in each of the opening two innings. In the first junior Caden Smith started with a base hit, then scored as senior Cameron Brought tripled. Brought would score the next at bat on a sac fly by senior Blake Hamblin.
In the second inning, with two outs, senior Conner Adams was hit by a pitch to reach base then stole 2nd to move into scoring position. A second base knock from Smith scored Adams to put the Hornets up 3-0. Smith stole both 2nd and 3rd then later scored on a double by Brought.
Mansfield scored 4 runs in the top of the 3rd to tie the game up at 4-all, then added 4 more runs in the next inning to double up the Hornets, 8-4. They also added another run in the top of the 6th, making it 9-4. Wellsboro got one run back in the bottom half of the inning as Adams crossed home plate after drawing a walk with two outs, then scored on a Brought base hit.
The Tigers then added two more runs in the 7th to close out the game.
Wellsboro had 9 hits in the game, led by Brought and Smith's 3-for-4 performances at the plate. Brought also finished with 3 RBIs. Brought moved into 2nd place all-time in career doubles (18) tying Dylan Prough, tied for 4th all-time in career triples (5) with Brandon Owlett, Dylan Prough, and Ty Antoine, and also put himself in 2nd place all-time in career RBIs with 73, surpassing Carl Buss (70).
Freshman Marek Mascho (1-for-4) and sophomores Gabe Sprouse and Lucas Cuneo were both 1-for-3.
The loss drops Wellsboro to 7-7 (6-5 NTL Large School Division). The team is back in action on Monday at Cowanesque Valley.