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By CJ Gill
For the Mirror
UNIVERSITY PARK -- It was a heartbreaking Saturday morning for the Mount Union baseball team.
The Trojans squared off against Bald Eagle Area in the PIAA Class 2A championship in a battle of all District 6 teams.
The Eagles (22-4) got the best of the Trojans, 11-0, in a game called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
BEA took down the Trojans (24-3) for the third time this season but winning the final at Medlar Field at Lubrano Park was in the most convincing fashion.
"We had three shots at them, and all three times we lost to them," Mount Union head coach Tim Hicks said. "So, I mean, obviously, they had the better team."
Thanks to an extra day of rest from the postponement of Friday's game due to inclement weather, the Trojans' Bryce Danish took the mound as the starter.
The big-game nerves came out and struck Mount Union in the bottom of the first inning. The Trojans committed three straight errors after quickly retiring the Eagles' leadoff hitter, Kahale Burns. Those miscues provided the base-runners that were driven in on back-to-back extra base hits.
Eagle sophomore Carson Nagle started off with a double to left-center field, followed by a bases-clearing triple from Parker Quick as BEA finished the inning with an early 3-0 advantage.
Offensively, only Cameron Donaldson and Ryan Scott were able to manufacture hits for Mount Union. Ryan Plank also reached base twice on a walk and hit-by-pitch.
"He started with his curveball early in the count, then he would throw the fastball outside. We are a pulling-heavy team, he threw it on the outside corner, and we couldn't pull it we kept on getting underneath it," Mount Union senior Braylan Knable said.
Danish was only able to pitch two-plus innings before being relieved by lefty Ryan Scott. Danish and Scott combined to give up nine hits while striking out two Bald Eagle batters.
"I was throwing it right down the middle," Danish said. "They faced me three times, so they had a little bit of experience with me. They hit the ball and they're a great team. They capitalized on mistakes that we made."
BEA was led by Tyler Serb, Nagle and Quick at the plate. All three went 2-for-3 on the day. Burns also walked and scored twice from the lead-off position.
In the bottom of the third inning, the Eagles battered around scoring seven runs in all but sealing the Trojans' fate. Nagle and Quick once again got it started reaching on back-to-back hits. Serb, Kaden Burns, Cameron Watkins and Tayten Yoder all had hits in the inning.
Serb went all five innings on the mound leading his team to victory, throwing a two-hitter and only allowing one Trojan to reach third. The senior also struck out three.
Month Union was unable to break the Eagles all year and Saturday proved to be no different.
"It's one to remember for sure," Danish said. "A lot of memories with these guys I've been playing with them since I was about five years old. I love these guys. It sucks that we had to lose."
Knable also reminisced about the season after falling one win short of a state championship.
"Tradition never ends here at Mount Union," he said. "We gave it all we could. This team got us three times this year. They just had our numbers this year. Playing for Mount Union, I wouldn't want to play for any other high school."
Mount Union (0): Cameron Donaldson 1-2, Braylan Knable 0-2, Blaine Hunsinger 0-2, Cainen Atherton 0-2, Ryan Plank 0-0 HBP, BB, Bryce Danish 0-2, Ryan Scott 1-2, Landon Chrisemer 0-2, Je'saun Robinson 0-2.
Bald Eagle (11): Kahale Burns 0-1 2BB, Tyler Serb 2-3, Tayten Yoder 1-2 HBP, Justen Bisel 0-3, Carson Nagle 2-3, Parker Quick 2-3, Kaden Burns 1-3, Gavin Eckley 0-3, Cameron Watkins 1-2.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Mount Union 000 00X X -- 0-2-3
Bald Eagle 317 0XX X --11-9-0
PITCHING
Bald Eagle, WP: Tyler Serb 5 IP, 2H, HBP, BB, 3K
Mount Union, LP: Bryce Danish 2+ IP, 7R, 6H, BB, HBP, K. Ryan Scott 1+ IP 4R, 3H, BB K.