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Pine Valley Falls, Brocton Advances In Baseball

NORTH COLLINS — The bats were in unison and the pitching got the needed outs for the No. 1 North Collins Eagles in a 13-0 victory over No. 4 Pine Valley in a Section VI Class semifinal baseball game played in the rain Thursday afternoon.

The Eagles got on the board first with Dylon Mercado scoring on an error and an RBI single from Nathan Turnbull to go up 2-0. North Collins added to its lead with a two-run home run by Brandon Zielinski in the third inning.

The hosts blew open the game in the bottom of the fourth with a nine-run inning, highlighted by an RBI single by Tanner Loretto, a two-run double by Harley Mehnert and a two-run single by Mercado.

The rain stopped after the fourth and so did the offenses. No runs were scored on either side from the fifth inning on, which ended the game at 13-0.

Mercado went the distance for North Collins as he struck out seven batters, walked three and gave up one hit.

Pine Valley’s Corey Ellis took the loss.

“I think we were prepared to come in today,” Pine Valley coach Chris Buczek said. “I think that maybe the fact that it was the semifinal game was a little too much for us. Not being able to play on this field more than once a year is an advantage to the other team. As much as we can practice ground balls at certain places in our facility, it’s not the same.”

With the win, North Collins plays Brocton on Saturday at Russell Diethrick Park in Jamestown.

The No. 3 Brocton Bulldogs defeated the No. 2 Franklinville Panthers, 2-1, on Thursday.

North Collins made it to the Class D championship game the last three years. The Eagles won in 2014, although, they lost the last two years to Westfield, which moved up to Class C this season.

The start time for the Class D Championship game is currently set at noon, with the possibility of weather pushing it back.

With the loss, Pine Valley’s season comes to an end and so does the high school athletic careers of its two seniors, Austin Butcher and Mathew Hunt, who were also the two co-captains for the 2017 campaign.

RIZZO LEADS WAY

FRANKLINVILLE — The No. 3 Brocton Bulldogs defeated the No. 2 Franklinville Panthers, 2-1, behind the complete-game effort of winning pitcher Hunter Rizzo in the Section VI Class D semifinal.

The Panthers got on the board first in the third inning. Lead-off hitter Jacob Peters walked and stole second base. He was sacrificed to third and a one-out RBI single by Dooley Brennan gave Franklinville the lead, 1-0.

In the bottom of the fourth, Brocton answered back. Charlie Rexford started the offense with a single and Garrett McFadden bunted him over. On the bunt, there was a throwing error at first and Rexford moved to third base. Rexford scored as the Franklinville catcher overthrew to third. Derrick Burns got a two-out RBI single to put his team up, 2-1.

The game ended scoreless from the fourth inning on.

Brocton’s Rizzo went the distance with three strikeouts and one walk.

Brock Blecha was the losing pitcher as he went four innings and struck out five. Issac Kopp came in relief to finish the game with three strikeouts.

Brocton moves on to face North Collins on Saturday at Russell Diethrick Park in Jamestown with first pitch expected to be at noon, with the possibility of being later due to weather.

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