Central Mountain Stops Shamokin

By Tom Elling

MILL HALL- Central Mountain used two big innings to down Shamokin, 8-2 on Senior Night.

Behind a stong mound performance by Gage Laughner, the ‘Cats pounded twelve hits with eight different players contributing. Jase Seltzer went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI; Gavin Karstetter and Hunter Hoy had two hits apiece, while Brady LaVelle contributed a 2-bagger. 

It was the bottom of the line-up that was most productive in the win. Karstetter, Hoy, and Seltzer scored five of the eight runs. The home team used a little two-out lightning in the bottom on the second. Karstetter singled to left and moved to second on a base hit by Hoy. Seltzer knocked in Karstetter with a single. The runners moved up a base on a wild pitch. Isaiah Maldonado delivered another run with a single up the middle.

The bats were fairly quiet until the 5th, when the ‘Cats sent nine players to the plate. LaVelle got it started with his double. Malaky Moyd knocked him in with a rip to left. Nate Wian walked. After an infield ground-out, Nate Wian walked. Karstetter, Hoy, and Seltzer came up big again banging three hits in-a-row. Seltzers was a two-run double.

Laughner tossed 5.1 masterful innings, striking out nine- allowing five walks. He didn’t give up a hit until the 6th. Upon reaching his pitch-count limit, Coach mike Kramer brought in Blake Walker to finish the inning. Walker got a strikeout and a groundout to tem the mild threat. Kramer called on Bryce Brungard to finish the game. Brungard got the Indians 1-2-3 with a strike-out, a grounder which he handled and the final out with a pop-up.

The Wildcats finish the regular season 15-1 and will next take on the winner of the Hollidaysburg-Shikellamy game (to be played tomorrow). The D6 5A championship game will be played Tuesday, May 27th at the Bald Eagle Area complex. Hollidaysburg is the defending 5A champion.

Mike Kramer had words of praise for his team and particularly for his seniors.

“I can’t say enough about this group. They raised the level and expectations of our team. It was just an awesome day for them and our celebrating their contributions to our success.”

Kramer also noted the value of the big 3rd inning. “Our guys came up big in the 3rd to get us going. We had a hiccup last week, but we came back strong and now we prepared to start our second season” (referring to the playoffs.)