Wildcats and Bulldogs Play to 2-2 Tie

MILL HALL — Two teams looking for solid seasons hooked up Thursday afternoon at Mill Hall Community Park and after two and a half hours of back-and-forth, Central Mountain and Jersey Shore settled for a 2-2 tie, the game to be resumed at a future date.

Jersey Shore struck first, plating one run off Wildcat starter Zach Skrtich on a wild pitch and the Bulldogs added one more in the third to take a 2-0 lead. The Wildcats answered in the bottom of the fifth, a single off the third base bag from Dylan Kerstetter followed by a double from Skrtich and a double from Clayton Butler.

The score stayed tied at two into the seventh and each team advanced a runner to second base, but neither could score and the umpires called the game as darkness descended and on-and-off rain resumed.

Skrtich struggled with his command, throwing 98 pitches in four innings of work; the senior gave up two hits, walked one, hit two and struck out nine. Toner Corl went 2.2 innings of relief, throwing 54 pitches, giving up two hits while walking one and striking out two. Alex Garbrick came in and got a final groundball out to finish the top of the seventh with a runner on second base.

Kerstetter had two of the Wildcats’ five hits, Kenny Heverly also adding a single.

The tie left the Wildcats at 1-0-1 at this point with the ‘Shore game to be completed later. For the Bulldogs, the contest was their first. Central Mountain is scheduled to travel to Altoona next Tuesday, followed by a home contest Friday, April 10, with Montoursville.

JS 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 = 2-4-1
CM0 0 0 0 2 0 0 = 2-5-1