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Muncy splits rainy doubleheader against SVRC, ups playoff chances

By HENRY HUBER 5 min read

MUNCY - While the Muncy baseball team started Monday's home doubleheader against Sugar Valley with a tough loss, it didn't hang its heads through the quick turnover, shifting to momentum seamlessly and putting together a well-rounded Game Two.

After falling in Game One - a continuation of a game from April 3 - by a score of 8-7, pitchers Jackson Barlow Corbyn Gardner kept the Phoenix offense in check and the Indian bats made the most of their opponents' mistakes. They'd score a pair of runs to start and three more through the fourth, picking up a crucial 6-1 win to up their playoff chances on a rainy afternoon at Schuyler Avenue Park.

"We could've hung our heads," said Muncy head coach Muncy head coach Shawn Finn. "With the conditions, it was tough to grab the ball or throw strikes today, but Sugar Valley would get runners on base, and we'd pitch out of it. Made some good, good pitches, so I tip my cap to them. Ran the bases well (too)."

To start the day, the teams picked up where they left off over a month ago, with the score deadlocked at 7-7 in the bottom of the eighth with Sugar Valley senior Lincoln Breon up to bat. While Breon was thrown out at first on a well-timed force out from Muncy third baseman Nicholas Delaney, Dakoda Jodun would put the team in a great spot on the ensuing at-bats.

He’d first fight for a walk before stealing second to get into scoring position. A well-placed flyball between Muncy's second baseman and right fielder from freshman Brody Swanger forced the Indians to scramble, falling to the turf and allowing Jodun to get all the way home for the walk-off run.

"The ball probably should have been caught, but it wasn't," said Finn. "But you tip your cap to the hitter (Swanger) for putting it in play and that's the name of the game. Put the ball in play, make the defense make the play."

Despite the shortcoming, Muncy came out of the gates swinging in the second. Just ten minutes after surrendering a game-winning run, its first hit was on the board. 15 minutes, and it had loaded bases with just one out, with Tanner Baker contributing the leadoff hit and Liam Adams loading the bases with a flyball to right.

By then, the Phoenix's hesitancy in Game Two had already begun to show, and it would continue as Delaney fought for an RBI walk and a wild pitch from Sugar Valley starting pitcher Layden Bryan allowed freshman pinch runner Drew Ryder to make it 2-0.

Though the Phoenix would temporarily bounce back with a one-run shot from Bentley Andrus, Muncy answered back swiftly. Following a double from Delaney, another wild pitch would allow him to steal a base and hesitance from Andrus at catcher helped him get home just in time.

From there, three straight walks in the fourth allowed the Indians to load the bases with just one out on the board, another wild pitch got Muncy right fielder Kase Snyder home and Kynton Fish (2-for-3) lodged a tear drop into left center for a two-out, two-RBI single.

"That was a big at-bat," said Finn on Fish's single. "That gave us a little breathing room."

Suddenly, it was 6-1. And with the dark clouds surrounding Schuyler Avenue Park getting closer and earlier rain picking back up, Sugar Valley's time had unknowingly run out. The rain that started as a little more than a drizzle quickly turned into a downpour, rendering its one-run sixth meaningless and effectively ending the game.

It wasn't the way the team wanted to end the day, but the silver lining is that its earlier win kept it in the District 4 Class A playoff race. Needing to get to .500 to clinch its bid, Sugar Valley heads into its final three games with a 6-9 record.

All three matchups left on is schedule come against teams with similar records, with a doubleheader against Canton (5-8) set for Wednesday and its season finale taking place at home against Shamokin (5-11). Starting with the Warriors, it'll look to bounce back in hopes of extending its chances.

"That's the goal," said Sugar Valley head coach Mike Toner when discussing the prospect of clinching a bid. "They played flat, overconfident (today). Hopefully we turn it around before it’s over."

For Muncy (7-8), the win puts it in a much better spot when it comes to its own playoff prospects and came thanks to excellent play from the mound. Starting pitcher Jackson Barlow had 7 strikeouts to four issued walks and one hit through four innings pitched and Corbyn Gardner finished the job, adding an additional K through one. Both also contributed offensively, combining for three runs.

Now needing to win two of its last three games as opposed to winning out, it'll look to build on the victory in its remaining three matchups against Bucktail (2-10), Montgomery (10-4) and Warrior Run (16-1).

"You've just got to continue to grow. You've got to continue to compete and get better every day you come out," said Finn. "Nine of our 14 guys are underclassmen. 14's not a great number but you play with what you've got and come to the ball field every day, whether it's practice or a game, and just try to get better."

Those games are set for Thursday, Saturday and next Tuesday respectively.

Muncy 6, Sugar Valley 1

SVRC 001 00 - 1 3 3

Muncy 201 30 - 6 6 0

Layden Bryan, Dakota Jodun (3) and Bentley Andrus. Jackson Barlow, Corbyn Gardner (5) and Kynton Fish.

Top Sugar Valley hitters: Bentley Andrus 1-2, HR, RBI, run; Daedrynn Hopkins 1-2; Brody Swanger 1-3; Layden Bryan 2 BBs. Top Muncy hitters: Kayton Fish 2-3, 2 RBIs; Nicholas Delany 1-2, 2B, RBI; Tanner Baker 1-2, run; Jackson Barlow 2 BBs, 2 runs.

Records: Sugar Valley 6-9; Muncy 7-8.

Starting at /week.