Baseball

Mountain Lions blow lead, recover in extras

By Michael Boytim

mboytim@altoonamirror.com

STATE COLLEGE -- Altoona and State College moved their high school baseball to a Monday morning start to avoid playing through the eclipse forecasted for later in the day, but the Mountain Lions had to survive a total eclipse of their hearts before finally escaping Community Field with a 14-11 extra-inning win.

It looked as if Altoona would cruise to a victory as it led by eight runs through five innings, but a remarkable comeback by the Little Lions capped by Jack Coleman's game-tying, three-run, two-out home run in the bottom of the seventh inning sent the game to extra innings and stirred thoughts of the 1983 Bonnie Tyler hit song as Altoona's dugout lost its sunny disposition when the ball cleared the fence.

But just as quickly as Altoona lost its lead, Dante LaRocco provided a guiding light through a drizzling rain that had started to fall with a one-out triple that scored Will Sankey in the top of the eighth inning. Aaron Smearman followed with a sacrifice fly, and Tanner Stroup hit his second home run of the game to put the Mountain Lions back in control.

"It was pretty crazy," LaRocco said. "I was just trying to help my team and do whatever I could to get on base and get the win. It felt great when I got that triple and with Aaron and Tanner up next, I knew we were sitting pretty good."

Altoona coach Tom Smith said Sankey working a walk on a seven-pitch at bat prior to LaRocco's triple was key.

"For him to get on with one out in the No. 9 spot was extremely huge," Smith said. "Dante was swinging the bat well all day long with five hits. I'm very proud we gutted it out and jumped back on top in the eighth inning and closed them out in the bottom."

LaRocco, who wears No. 5, lived up to his number with the first five-hit game of his life. He finished 5-for-5, drew a walk, scored twice and drove in three runs from the leadoff spot.

Stroup went 3-for-6 at the plate with two home runs, including a three-run home run that put Altoona ahead, 3-0, in the first inning.

"It was 2-0, and he threw a fastball right down the middle," Stroup said. "I got the pitch I wanted and was able to put a good barrel on it and drive it over the fence."

It was just Altoona's third game of the season due to bad weather, but the Mountain Lions (2-1) already own two victories over their District 6 rivals, both coming in extra innings.

"It was very nice to jump on top," Smith said. "State College is the standard in District 6 in 6A. For us to jump on top, especially here where we don't fare too well, we were feeling pretty good."

With two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning and one runner on base, State College trailed, 11-3, and Smith was having some players off his bench warm up with the anticipation of getting his backups some playing time.

But Coleman drew a bases-loaded walk, and Austin Harter had a two-run single that made it 11-6.

Altoona managed only a Caleb Sanders single in the top of the seventh, and Derek Moriarta's two-run single in the bottom of the inning made it a three-run game. Max Herncane was hit by a pitch to bring up Coleman as the tying run. He worked the count into his favor before launching a home run to left that set off a raucous celebration from the Little Lions.

"One thing I love about my team is that they respond every time we fall down," State College coach David Williams said. "Today we fell down big, but they responded and fought back. Jack Coleman had a huge home run to push us into extra innings. We came up a little bit short, but we never quit and kept fighting."

A game that just minutes prior seemed like it may end via mercy rule was now tied.

"If we wouldn't have come back from it, that would have been a very tough bus ride home," Smith said.

Instead, Altoona regained its composure and defeated State College for the second time this season after the Little Lions won all three matchups last year, including a 9-7 win in the District 6 Class 6A championship.

"It feels really good," Stroup said. "Last year, we lost a heartbreaker in the District 6 playoffs to them, and I just wanted to come back and beat them twice this year."

Altoona has plenty of baseball to play before the District 6 postseason begins and a possible third meeting with State College, but Smith is hoping the momentum of two wins over their rivals carries over.

"It should," Smith said. "All eight teams in our league (Mid-Penn Commonwealth), anyone can beat anyone. The fact we got two wins early against them is good for us. Does it mean a lot for us confidence-wise? It depends on how we play our next few games. We did a lot of things wrong at the end of this game, but to our credit, we found a way to close it out and win it."

ALTOONA (14): LaRocco cf 525, Smearman p-rf 310, Wilson cr 010, Stroup 1b 643, McAllister rf-3b-2b-p 311, Nicolini cr 000, Con. Sanders c 000, Kraft dh 602, Cal. Sanders 3b-p-3b 411, Freiwald 2b-p-2b 320, Albright ss 400, Sankey lf 321. Totals -- 37-14-13.

STATE COLLEGE (11): Chestnut lf 300, Powell cr-lf 210, Belinc 2b 200, Moriarta 2b 221, Rhoades ss 201, Herncane ss 120, Norman p 000, Scavone p 000, Pighetti 3b 000, Coleman dh 221, Harter rf 312, Shannon 3b-p 500, Mazer c 301, Machtinger c 200, Powers 1b 100, Janac 1b 310, Hall cf 322. Totals -- 34-11-8.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Altoona 313 130 03--14 13 3

State College 010 203 50--11 8 5

E--Cal. Sanders 2, Albright, Shannon 2, Herncane, Belinc, Norman. 3B--LaRocco. HR--Stroup 2, Coleman. RBI--Stroup 4, LaRocco 3, Smearman, Cal. Sanders, Sankey, Coleman 4, Harter 2, Moriarta 2, Hall 2.

PITCHING

Altoona: Smearman--4 1/3IP, 4H, 3BB, 2HBP, 4K, 3R, 1ER, 86 pitches; Cal. Sanders--1 1/3IP, 0H, 4BB, 3R, 3ER, 31 pitches; Freiwald--1IP, 3H, 1BB, 1HBP, 1K, 4R, 4ER, 29 pitches; McAllister (W)—1 1/3IP, 1H, 1K, 1R, 1ER, 22 pitches.

State College: Norman--2 2/3IP, 6H, 5BB, 4K, 7R, 7ER, 78 pitches; Scavone (L)—5IP, 7H, 4BB, 2HBP, 4K, 7R, 4ER, 104 pitches; Shannon--1/3 IP, 0H, 0BB, 0K, 0R, 0ER, 3 pitches.

Records: Altoona (2-1); State College (2-2).