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By Todd Irwin
sports@altoonamirror.com
HOUTZDALE -- Juniata Valley sophomore Levi Thompson had an offensive day to remember in Thursday's District 6 Class A first-round playoff game at Moshannon Valley.
Thompson delivered a home run, double and single, coming up a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, got on base four times, knocked in a run and scored three runs. And for good measure, he pulled off a rare steal of home in the fifth inning.
"Oh was it? I didn't realize that," Juniata Valley coach Jeff Hensor said when he was informed of the near cycle. "Levi has been a solid stick for us, especially the second half of the season."
But Thompson wasn't the only Juniata Valley batter stinging three Mo Valley pitchers on a windy day. Connor Robinson also homered, and the 10th-seeded Green Hornets banged out 11 hits and benefited from seven errors in a 12-5 win over the seventh-seeded Black Knights.
"We split with Mo Valley during the season," Hensor said. "Zach (Witherow) is a great pitcher, so we thought we'd have our hands full. But credit to our guys. They put some barrels on and took advantage of some opportunities. It's been a tough season, and we're excited to take the next step."
"We didn't pitch well," Mo Valley coach Jim Hawkins said. "I think we had seven errors and probably left 10 or 11 on base. You are not going to win baseball games like that. They (Juniata Valley) were tough tonight. They hit the ball well. There's no question about it. (Thompson) has hit us in all three games, really."
The win advanced the Green Hornets (6-15) into the quarterfinals at second-seeded Bishop Guilfoyle at 4 p.m. on Monday.
Juniata Valley struck first against Mo Valley ace Witherow in the first inning. With Mason Buckley on first after a two-out walk, Robinson pounded a home run over the left field fence.
"That was huge," Hensor said. "They were on the verge of getting out of that inning without any runs. He got it on the barrel, and good things happen then."
After JV added a third run in the second inning on a passed ball, the Hornets erupted for four runs in the third. With the bases loaded, Zach Dick chased Robinson and Thompson home with a single to left.
Jordyn Couch, the No. 9 hitter and starting pitcher, plated Conner Harbst, who had reached on the first of his two hits, with a single to center. A Reid Edwards RBI single made it 7-1.
Couch went five innings, struck out 10, walked four and gave up five hits and two runs.
"He had some good command early, and kind of rode that for awhile," Hensor said. "Jordyn had a really nice day."
Mo Valley's Landyn Evans hit a solo homer in the second inning and Witherow had an RBI double in the third. But the Knights (6-13) stranded 12 on base. In comparison, the Hornets left 15 on base.
Thompson led off the fourth inning with his third hit - a home run over the left-center field fence.
"Coach told me make it a perfect (pitch)," Thompson said. "I saw it coming and I went after it."
Juniata Valley scored three more runs in the fifth, with the highlight being Thompson stealing home - with relief pitcher Zach Reifer on the mound -- ahead of the tag of catcher Andre Wells to make the score 11-2.
"I just saw that his wind up was slow," Thompson said, "and I took advantage."
"I was just trying to have it in my pocket to get another run in as an option," Hensor said. "I asked him if he could steal home. And the next thing I know he took off. He stole into a swinging two-strike batter. That's not a general call."
Jacob Rodkey finished on the mound for the Hornets. The Knights scored three runs in those innings on a Witherow RBI double and Wells sacrifice fly in the sixth and a Jacob O'Donnell RBI single in the seventh.
Juniata Valley (12): Rodkey cf-p 401, Edwards 1b 501, Buckley ss 420, Robinson c 311, Hess cr 020, Prough cr 000, Thompson rf-cf 533, Harbst 512, Deihl 300, Shea lf 100, Z. Dick 3b 411, B. Hoover pr 0100, Couch p-rf 202, V. Hoover cr 0100. Totals: 36-12-11.
Moshannon Valley (5): O'Donnell ss 512, Kephart cf 511, Witherow p-2b 302, Wells c 301, Lobb 3b 200, DeLattre 3b 100, Moore lf 200, Hummel cr-lf 200, Evans 1b-p 222, Howard rf 201, Reams 100, Reifer 2b-p 311. Totals: 31-5-10.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Juniata Valley………. 214 130 1 -- 12 11 2
Mo Valley……………….011 002 1 -- 5 10 7
Errors--Z. Dick, Thompson; O'Donnell 2, Witherow, Moore, Lobb, Wells, Delattre. RBIs--Robinson 2, Z. Dick 2, Edwards, Thompson, Couch; Witherow 2, O'Donnell, Wells, Evans. 2B--Thompson; Witherow 2, Kephart. HR--Robinson, Thompson; Evans. SB--Edwards, Thompson, V. Hoover; Hummel. SF--Wells. LOB--Juniata Valley 15, Moshannon Valley 12. HBP--Buckley (by Reifer), Couch (by Reifer); Witherow (by Couch).
PITCHING
Juniata Valley: Couch (W)--5 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO; Rodkey--2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO.
Moshannon Valley: Witherow (L)--4 IP, 8 H, 8 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 10 SO; Reifer--1/3 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO; Evans--2 2/3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO.
Records: Juniata Valley (6-15); Moshannon Valley (6-13) Time of game: 2:40