Mount Union won its second straight District 6 Class 2A championship and its 21st in school history by defeating Bellwood-Antis, 7-2 in the title game at Claysburg-Kimmel High School’s posh baseball stadium.

Junior right-handed pitcher Jamon Ranck tossed a complete-game victory for Mount Union, spacing six hits, striking out 11 batters and walking only two while throwing 99 pitchers.

Junior first baseman Levi Hunsinger hit a two-run single to highlight a five-run Mount Union fifth inning that broke the game open, as the Trojans sent 11 batters to the plate and built a 7-1 lead.

Mount Union coach Tim Hicks has been holding the reins of the Trojans’ baseball program for the past decade, and he directed the Trojans to the PIAA Class 3A state championship back in 2019.

Bellwood-Antis' Chase Plummer slides under Mount Union third baseman Beau Wise on his RBI triple. Mirror photo by Patrick Waksmunski

But most of Mount Union’s success in the district tournament occurred under the direction of their late, legendary coach Nick Imperioli, who once offered some wisdom to his successor Hicks.

“Nick Imperioli said that winning district championships never gets old, and he is not wrong,” Hicks said. “This is exciting, this what we’ve worked for, and the kids have done a great job.”

Mount Union was the second seed in the District 6 Class 2A tournament this year, and Thursday’s victory upped the Trojans’ season record to 19-5. Mount Union will open PIAA state tournament play with a home game against District 10 runners-up Saegertown Monday afternoon.

Fourth-seeded Bellwood-Antis wrapped up a 13-10 season that included an upset of top-seeded Bishop McCort Catholic earlier in the district tournament.

“We had a great season, I’m really proud of these guys,” Bellwood coach Adam Plummer said. “We were near the .500 mark late in the regular season, but the way our team turned things around in the district playoffs leaves high hopes for this program in the future.”

Bellwood was snakebitten in the field Thursday, committing four errors.

“Mount Union is a great team and a great program,” Plummer said. “They don’t make mistakes, and we made too many mistakes tonight.”

Bellwood opened the scoring with a run in the top of the first inning when Chase Plummer’s triple to the base of the left field fence scored Jackson Dorminy, who had reached base on an infield single.

Mount Union answered promptly in the bottom of the first inning on a run-producing sacrifice fly by Hunsinger that plated Nasir Collins, who reached on an error, stole second, and moved to third on Ranck’s flyout.

Mount Union went ahead to stay in the third inning when Collins reached base on an error, moved to second on Ranck’s single, advanced to third on Hunsinger’s flyout, and scored on Abe Weirich’s infield single.

Mount Union had five hits and benefited from three walks in its big five-run fifth inning. Ranck’s RBI double, Hunsinger’s RBI single, an RBI triple by Maddox Hobbs, and a run-scoring single by designated hitter Rahmeir Smith were the key hits for the Trojans in the uprising.

“I was pleased with our offense — we put a lot of pressure on them,” Hicks said. “In that big inning, we were patient at the plate, and I thought that our guys took some really good swings and we capitalized with runners in scoring position.”

Ranck’s solid pitching provided the Trojans with a great foundation Thursday.

“All year, Jamon has located the ball well, and our defense played very well behind him tonight,” Hicks said.

Bellwood, which scored a consolation run in the sixth inning on Landon Sneath’s RBI single, returns a very solid nucleus for the 2027 season.

“We’re graduating only three seniors, and they’ve all been good players for us,” Plummer said. “We have a great nucleus coming back, and I’m looking forward to this team being back here next season.”

BELLWOOD-ANTIS (2): Cal. Plummer rf 400, Dorminy cf 222, Swogger c 301, Ch. Plummer ss 301, Sneath 3b 301, McConnell 2b 300, Worthing p 000, Shedlock p 000, McCall dh 301, McCartney 1b 200, Partner lf 200, Gibbons ph 100. Totals – 26-2-6.

MOUNT UNION (7): Collins cf 331, Ranck p 412, Hunsinger 1b 311, Weirich c 401, Swanger cr 000, Hobbs ss 312, Snyder 2b 310, Covert rf 300, Clark lf 000, Smith dh 301, Wise 3b 200. Totals – 28-7-8.

SCORE BY INNINGS

Bellwood-Antis 100 001 0 — 2 6 4

Mount Union 101 050 X — 7 8 0

E–Ch. Plummer 3, Sneath. 2B–McCall, Ranck. 3B–Chase Plummer, Hobbs. RBI–Ch. Plummer, Sneath, Hunsinger 2, Ranck, Weirich, Hobbs, Smith. SB–McCartney 2, Hobbs 2, Collins, Weirich, Snyder. CS–Ranck (Swogger to Sneath). SF–Hunsinger. LOB–Mount Union 8, Bellwood-Antis 5. DP–Mount Union turned one.

PITCHING

Mount Union: Ranck (W) 7IP, 6H, 2R, 2ER, 2BB, 11SO, 99 pitches.

Bellwood-Antis: Worthing (L) 4IP, 6H, 5R, 3ER, 0BB, 3SO, 74 pitches. Shedlock 2IP, 2H, 2R, 2ER, 4BB, 1SO.

Records: Bellwood-Antis (13-10); Mount Union (19-5).

Umpires: Dan Olsasky (plate); Brandon Ashurst (1b); Carl Bopp (2b); Dave Meckley (3b).

Time of game: 1:48.