Wildcats down Tigers, 5-2; move to district final

MILL HALL, PA – Central Mountain pitcher Chase Brush got off to a slow start Monday but settled in as the game progressed and his Wildcat teammates played superb defense behind him, the end result a 5-2 win over visiting Hollidaysburg in a District 6-8-9 Class 5A semifinal.

The victory moved the defending district champs to 16-5 on the year and into the district title game set for Friday at PNG Park in Altoona.

Brush struggled early, Hollidaysburg going single-double-single to start the game and take a quick two-run lead on the last of those hits, a Landon Perry single. But the junior right-hander bounced back and struck out the remaining three batters to end the first, his team down by two. From there on, Brush took charge, giving up just three more hits, striking out nine and not surrendering a walk as he established command of both his fastball and breaking ball.

Wildcat Coach Mike Kramer said Brush was not “powering through” his pitches to start but was “totally different” after the staff talked to him at the end of the inning.

The coach complimented his team on playing a “clean” game, executing when needed. The Wildcats played perfect defense behind Brush, including a spectacular diving catch in the gap by centerfielder Connor Foltz in the top of the seventh inning, robbing the Tigers’ Brady Michaels of extra-bases. Coach Kramer said that ball was a homerun elsewhere but Foltz’s catch was “Mill Hall Magic.”

Meanwhile the Wildcat offense produced just enough to put up the five runs. After the Tigers took a 2-0 lead into the bottom of the first, Nate Helms singled off Tiger starter Carson Kensinger. Kevin Grenninger was hit by a pitch and Gabe Johnson drew a walk, loading the bases. Cayde McCloskey was then hit by a pitch, driving in the first CM run; a wild pitch and an errant pick-off attempt allowed two more runs to score and CM led 3-2 after one.

The Wildcats added a fourth run in the fourth, Cru Stover walking and scoring on a double in the right-center gap from Aaron Miller. And Miller would provide the final run in the sixth: McCloskey singled and Stover walked; a pitcher’s balk advanced both runners and McCloskey scored when Miller laid down a perfect squeeze bunt.

Joe Bukosky led the Tiger offense with a double and a single.

The Wildcats on Friday will be playing DuBois (9-9), a 10-1 Monday winner over Pittsburgh Brashear (6-5). The Wildcats and Beavers did not meet in the regular season this year; Hollidaysburg defeated DuBois by a 12-2 score earlier in the year. The district winner advancing into the PIAA playoffs on Monday, June 6.

 

H     2 0 0 0 0 0 0 = 2-6-2

CM  3 0 0 1 0 1 x = 5-3-0