COAL TOWNSHIP - J.P. Lenker's bases-loaded triple highlighted a seven-run fifth inning as Line Mountain took a 10-4 Susquehanna Valley American Legion win over Shamokin-Mount Carmel Monday at Bunker Hill, ending a two-game winning streak for the home team.
Line Mountain erupted for eight hits in the fifth inning, and seven straight batters reached base at one point. Matt Howerter, who was 4-for-4 with three runs scored and two runs batted in, started the big inning with a single, went to third on a double by Brady Renn (3-for-4, 3 RBI), and Erik Smeltz (3-for-4) beat out an infield hit to load the bases. Lenker cleared them with his triple.
"We've been hitting the ball all season but that's the most clutch hitting we've had in a game this year," said Line Mountain coach Sam Strause. "That's the first time we've capitalized with so many runners in scoring position."
The win lifted Line Mountain's record to 3-6, and Shamokin-Mount Carmel dropped to 3-6 after winning consecutive 2-1 decisions over Danville and Bloomsburg, respectively.
"I think that inning was a combination of Paul (starting and losing pitcher Paul Gurba) getting tired and them putting some good wood on their hits," said Shamokin-Mount Carmel coach Dave Langton,
Before that inning, Gurba and Line Mountain starter and winner Brady Michael had locked in a 3-3 duel. Michael went on to finish the game, working seven tough innings. He gave up 11 hits, struck out three and walked two, leaving runners on base in every inning but the seventh.
"Brady hurt his left leg running on Sunday against West Snyder and I didn't know if he'd be able to pitch," Strause said. "When I asked him before the game he said he was okay and he really toughed it out."
Austin Fry went 3-for-4 for Shamokin-Mount Carmel, and Jake Jones, Taylor Haladay and Colin Bettleyon all had two hits.
Howerter and Renn had back-to-back doubles for Line Mountain in the third inning. Bettleyon and Brody Young each had run-scoring singles for Shamokin-Mount Carmel.
Shamokin-Mount Carmel was coming off a 2-1 win Sunday over Bloomsburg, a game in which Fry threw a complete game, giving up five hits, and Theo Deptula's seventh-inning single drove home Gurba with the winning run. All three of Shamokin-Mount Carmel's wins have been by 2-1 scores, including an earlier win over Line Mountain.
"We should have won that game," Strause said. "We've been close in almost every game and have given some away. The league is really competitive this year. No one seems to stand out."
Shamokin-Mount Carmel hosts Sunbury (5-4) today.
Game Summary
LINE MTN. (AB-R-H-BI) - Adams 5-0-2-0, Masser 4-2-0-0, Howerter 4-3-4-2, Renn 4-1-3-3, Snyder 1-0-0-0, Smeltz 4-1-3-1, Lenker 4-1-1-3, Wetzel 4-0-1-1, Mace 3-1-0-0, Michael 2-1-0-0. Totals 35-10-14-10.
SHAM-MC (AB-R-H-BI) - Deptula 4-0-1-0, Tocyloski 3-0-0-0, Miller 1-0-0-0, Fry 4-1-3-0, Rodarmel 0-0-0-0, Young 4-0-1-1, Jones 3-2-2-0, Gurba 1-0-0-0, Haladay 2-1-2-0, Bettleyon 3-0-2-1, Bressi 2-0-0-1, Pupo 1-0-0-1, Joraskie 0-0-0-0. Totals 28-4-11-4.
Extra-base hits: 2B - Howerter, Renn 2; Fry. 3B - Lenker.
IP H R ER BB K
Line Mtn.
Michael (W) 7 11 4 4 2 3
Sham-MC
Gurba (L) 4 10 8 7 3 2
Betteyon 2 3 2 2 1 1
Pupo 1 1 0 0 2 0