Loyalsock majors advance to Section 3 title game

Loyalsock is a win away from claiming another championship banner and the major baseball all-star team is playing outstanding.

On Sunday evening in Berwick, Loyalsock cruised past Athens, 12-2, in four innings to secure a spot in the Section 3 championship game and are a win away from the state tournament.

Loyalsock jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first inning and Athens never was able to rally back or recover.

"It was big for us," Loyalsock manager Jake King said. "We had talked about being the visitors again and making a statement right away. Try to get out to as big of a lead as possible."

Loyalsock was ahead 3-0 before the first out was recorded thanks to three consecutive hits from Antonio Valentine, Ben Gusick and Jackson King, with King's two-RBI double leading the way. King then scored on a passed ball. With two outs, Loyalsock kept momentum going with a string of two hits -- including a double by Blake Richardson -- and two walks to plate more runs as Lucas Frey had a two-RBI double and made it a 7-0 lead.

Loyalsock collected 13 hits as Gusick (2 for 3, two runs), King (2 for 3, double, home run, two runs), Silas Smith (2 for 2, double, two runs), Richardson (2 for 2, double, run and Jaxton Rupert (2 for 2, run) had multiple hits with Frey adding a double, Rhett Datres going 1 for 2 with a triple and run scored, Valentine going 1 for 2 with a walk and run scored, Jack Confer being walked with a run and Aiden Kiessling reaching on a walk with a run scored.

"We got some guys that are starting to come alive with their bats," King said. "Jaxton Rupert is starting to roll, Lucas Frey had a big night, Jackson King had a bit hit. More and more faces and guys are coming up that are starting to get locked in and it's a good time for them collectively as a group to hit together."

Loyalsock scored twice in the second inning, twice in the third and tacked on a run in the fourth to go ahead by ten runs and put the mercy-rule into effect.

Maverick Garman threw all four innings on 55 pitches with seven strikeouts and only one hit given up. That hit came in the second inning with a one-out home run with a runner on first.

"Very much so (happy with his efforts). Like I've said, pitching and defense have been our two biggest parts of our game," King said. "To get hitting along with it today, that's why it ended up being a 12-2 game."

A day prior in the Section 3 opener on Saturday, Gusick struck out five and did well on the mound limiting timely hits from Milton in helping Loyalsock's major baseball team secure a 6-3 win.

Milton scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the deficit to 6-3 thanks to a triple, error and double, but Loyalsock closed out the inning from there by inducing a 6-3 double play to prevent more runs from crossing. After a lead-off walk, Loyalsock forced a ground out, fielder's choice and fly to left to end the game and prevented a rally.

"Solid pitching, good defense and timely hitting early was key to winning today," King said about Saturday's victory.

Loyalsock jumped out to a 2-0 run in the first inning thanks to Gusick reaching on a single and stealing second before Jackson King connected on a single. Both would score and Rhett Datres had a double before Silas Smith reached after being hit, but Loyalsock stranded two runners at first and second.

In the second inning against Milton, Loyalsock plated an additional four runs thanks to a string of six consecutive hits as Jack Confer (single), Lucas Frey (single), Brennan Comerford (double), Jaxton Rupert (single), Antonio Valentine (single) and Gusick (double) all connected and drove in runs. 

Loyalsock was held scoreless over the final four innings. That included leaving the bases loaded in the fourth inning with two outs and leaving runners on the corners in the fifth inning. Loyalsock went three up, three down in both the fourth and sixth innings.

Loyalsock 12, Athens 2

(4 INNINGS)

Loyalsock 722 1 -- 12 13 0

Athens 020 0 -- 2 1 1

Maverick Garman and Blake Richardson. W: Garman.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Antonio Valentine 1-2, BB, run; Ben Gusick 2-3, 2 runs; Jackson King 2-3, 2B, HR, 2 runs; Rhett Datres 1-2, 3B, run; Silas Smith 2-2, 2B, 2 runs; Blake Richardson 2-2, 2B, run; Aiden Kiessling BB, run; Jack Confer BB, run; Lucas Frey 2B; Jaxton Rupert 2-2, run. 

Loyalsock 6, Milton 3

Loyalsock 240 000 -- 6 12 1

Milton 000 120 -- 3 7 0

Ben Gusick and Blake Richardson. W: Gusick.

Top Loyalsock hitters: Antonio Valentine 1-3, run; Ben Gusick 3-3, 2B, stolen base, run; Jackson King 1-3, stolen base, run; Maverick Garman 1-2, BB; Rhett Datres 1-3; Silas Smith 1-2, BB; Jack Confer 1-2; Lucas Frey 1-1, BB, run; Brennan Comerford 1-2, stolen base, 2B; Jaxton Rupert 1-2, run.