Then Hepburn Lycoming started getting runners on. Two quick singles put two base runners on and then four consecutive walks resulted in three runs crossing the plate.

All of a sudden, Hepburn Lycoming was back in the driver’s seat. By the time the third out was recorded in the fifth inning, Hepburn Lycoming had scored five runs and went ahead by four. It wasn’t the most exciting way to score runs, but runs are runs, and it resulted with Hepburn Lycoming defeating South Williamsport, 8-6, at Montoursville in a District 12 major baseball elimination game on Wednesday evening.

With the win, Hepburn Lycoming will face Montoursville at East Lycoming on Friday in another elimination game.

“I just told the boys great job being patient in the batter’s box and not swinging at bad pitches and hustling on the bases,” Hepburn Lycoming manager Scott Naughton said. “I told them we had to do that and take advantage of every mistake the other team did. Just great patience in the batter’s box and keeping their heads up. Last game we had a little bit of guys hanging their heads, but tonight they didn’t hang their heads and I think that was the difference: their attitude.”

ALBRIGHT STUDIO/Sun-Gazette Correspodnent James Naughton of Hepburn Lycoming pitches against South Williamsport in the first inning at Montoursville on Wednesday.

“You’d like for them to make them earn it, we had quite a few walks there. I could see my pitcher getting frustrated, so that’s why I took him out. You can’t walk guys, you gotta make them hit, and that was definitely the difference in the game,” South Williamsport manager Ben Butler said.

With two outs in that fifth inning, it was Anthony Dulap who hit a single into shallow left field, followed by another single by John Snyder. Ethan Andrews was walked to load the bases, and then three straight walks resulted with a runner being sent home.

The biggest hit of the inning came from Isaac Sparks, who drilled a hard single into left which brought in Jacob Evelhair and Zander Hauser for an 8-4 lead.

South Williamsport didn’t go away quietly, however. In the sixth inning, South Williamsport’s first two batters flew and grounded out, respectively, for two quick outs. But it was Garrett Lorson who helped put a little spark into South Williamsport with a single near the left-field line. Judah Butler then ripped a double into right field to bring in Lorson before Kamden Bubb drove in Butler with a hard shot down the left-field line to trail just 8-6.

Hepburn Lycoming buckled down defensively and forced a pop up to shortstop for the third and final out to seal the game.

ALBRIGHT STUDIO/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hepburn Lycoming's John Snyder is safe at second against South Williamsport in the fourth inning at Montoursville on Wednesday.

“It’s frustrating because what they did their last inning is what they’re capable of all the time. Too little, too late,” Butler said. “With two outs and nobody on base they could have just gave up, but we put tying run up, so I’m proud of them for that.”

“We knew the bottom of their lineup was coming up, and you can’t get let their Nos. 8 and 9 batters get on base,” Naughton said. “I told them play defense. I told them every pitch I looked at, wasn’t one kid with their hand on their side. Every pitch they were ready to play defense.”

South and Hepburn went back and forth the entire day in a game neither team wanted to lose. Hepburn Lycoming went ahead 1-0 after the first inning when James Naughton reached with a single and was later driven in by Dunlap. That lead held until the top of the third inning when South Williamsport plated two runs for a 2-1 lead.

Lorson belted a massive double with one out to reach and Butler followed with a shallow single that didn’t leave the infield. Bubb delivered a clutch single into shallow left that drove both in and gave South its first lead.

Hepburn would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning by scoring twice to go ahead, 3-2, before another two-runs were scored by South Williamsport in the top of the fifth.

ALBRIGHT STUDIO/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsports Judah Butler makes a catch in the fifth inning against Hepburn Lycoming on Wednesday at Montoursville.

“That’s Little League. You think you have it and all of a sudden you don’t. Definitely the ups and downs, but it’s a learning experience for the kids,” Butler said. “You kind of just have to not get too high, not get too low and obviously we just came up a little bit short. But it was a good game back and forth.”

South out-hit Hepburn, 10-5, and was led by Lorson (2 for 4, double), Butler (2 for 4, double) Bubb (3 for 3, three RBIs) and Emmit Gerber (2 for 3).

“They’ve been playing major baseball since they were 9 years old, so they’ve pretty much seen everything. So they’re a good combo back-to-back. They’ve been playing all-stars together for last four or five years,” Butler said of Lorson and Judah Butler. “They can hit it anywhere and are good base runners. That’s why I like to get them on with our No. 3 hitter (Bubb). That’s usually the game plan. The last inning is what we’ve seen all year, but we didn’t see enough of it tonight.”

Hepburn Lycoming’s offense was led by Naughton (2 for 3), Sparks (single, two RBIs), Dunlap (single) and Snyder (single).

As for what Hepburn Lycoming’s expectations are today against Montoursville?

ALBRIGHT STUDIO/Sun-Gazette Correspondent South Williamsport's Kaiden Paulhamus slides into home in the top of the fifth inning on Wednesday against Hepburn Lycoming.

“We got nothing to lose. We had two boys that went on vacation, so we’ll only have nine kids again,” Naughton said. “So we’re just going to let it all hang out on Friday.”

South 002 022 – 6 10 2

Hepburn 100 25x – 8 5 1

Kaiden Paulhamus, Kamden Bubb (4), Emmit Gerber (5), Judah Butler (5) and Garrett Lorson. James Naughton, Isaac Sparks (5) and Cole Shirey. W: Naughton. L: Bubb.

Top South Williamsport hitters: Garrett Lorson 2-4, 2B, 2 runs; Judah Butler 2-4, 2B, RBI, 2 runs; Kamden Bubb 3-3, 3 RBIs, BB, run; Emmit Gerber 2-3; Spencer Beatty bunt 1B. Top Hepburn Lycoming hitters: James Naughton 2-3, BB, run; Isaac Sparks 1B, 2 RBIs, BB; Anthony Dunlap 1B, run; John Snyder 1B, 2 runs; Ethan Andrews 2 runs; Jacob Evelhair 2 BB, run; Zander Hauser 2 BB, run.

ALBRIGHT STUDIO/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hepburn Lycoming's Zander Hauser beats the tag to be safe at home in the bottom of the fifth inning on Wednesday.