BROCKWAY — The Brockway Little League All-Star baseball team used a strong outing by starter Cole Decker and a late offensive surge to knock off Elk County, 10-4, Sunday on a steamy afternoon at Taylor Memorial Park to stay alive in the District 10 Tournament.

Decker just missed going the distance, throwing 5 2/3 innings to get the win and also played a big role in a Brockway offensive attack that racked up 10 hits.

Despite both efforts, Brockway found itself in a dogfight halfway through the games, with the teams being tied 4-4 after three innings. However, Brockway scored a run in the top of the fifth to retake the lead at 5-4 before breaking the game wide open with a five-run sixth.

That proved to be more than enough run support for Decker, who pitched into the sixth before hitting the 85-pitch limit with two outs. Teammate Reikyr McIlvaine came in relief at that point and got Claire Stauffer to foul out to catcher Easton Harris to end the game.

Decker allowed four runs, three earned, on just two hits hit while striking out 14 and walking three in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Decker, who blasted a solo home run in the first, was one of three Brockway players to finish with two hits along with Harris and Charlie Ritzie. Decker and Harris each had a pair of RBIs.

With the win, Brockway advanced in the loser’s bracket and hosts Potter/McKean in an elimination game on Tuesday at 6 p.m. 

Brockway opened the game with a bang, as Decker blasted a long home run to left field with on out to give his team a quick 1-0 lead. Harris singled with two outs in the inning but was stranded at first.

Elk County responded with a three-run bottom of the first to grab the momentum back.

Louie Salvaggio jump-started the rally with a single to right, then Nick Tutton walked. Both runners promptly scored when Johnny Yeager ripped a double to left. Yeager later scored on a wild pitch to put Elk County up 3-1 after one inning.

Decker settled in after that first inning and allowed just three runners over the ensuing 4 2/3 innings while recording 13 strikeouts in that stretch.

Unfortunately for Decker and Brockway, one of those runners managed to score in the bottom of the third to tie the game at 4-4 at the time.

That runner was Leeland Wildnauer, who drew a leadoff walk before stealing second. He went to third when the throw went into the outfield and later scored on a wild pitch.

Wildnauer’s game-tying run came on the heels of Brockway scoring three times in the top of the third against Elk County starter Hayes Brigger.

Kalun Buffone jump-started that rally with a leadoff single to right but was quickly erased when Levi Lindemuth hit into a fielder’s choice. Jonah Rush and Brayden Thompson were then hit by pitches to load the bases with one out.

Decker followed with a single to right that plated Lindemuth, while Rush trotted home on a two-out, bases-loaded walk by Harris. Thompson then raced home on a wild pitch to give Brockway a brief 4-3 advantage before Wildnauer scored in the bottom of the inning.

The score remained 4-4 into the fifth before Brockway used a little two-out magic to regain the lead.

Thompson doubled to left with two away, then took third on a wild pitch. Elk County reliever Maddox Aiello then struck Decker on a pitch in the dirt. Decker hustled down the line and beat the throw to first while Thompson easily scored from third to make it 5-4.

Decker then enjoyed a quick 1-2-3 bottom of the fifth before the Brockway offense erupted for five runs on four hits and two errors in the sixth to grab control of the game.

Noah Johnson started that rally with a leadoff walk before taking second and third on wild pitches. Harris then singled to right to plate Johnson and took second when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Unfortunately for Harris, he rounded to far around second as the throw came in and he was tagged for the first out.

That only momentarily slowed down Brockway, which quickly loaded the bases on a Gunner Meredith walk, Brady Hoover infield single and Ritzie single to single to left.

Chandler Wells then plated Meredith with a single to right. Hoover also scored when the ball was held in the outfield to put Brockway up 8-4.

McIlvaine reached on an error that scored Ritzie before Buffone plated Wells with Brockway’s 10th and final run on a groundout to the pitcher to set the eventual final.

BROCKWAY 10,

ELK COUNTY 2

Score by Innings

Brockway;103;015;—;10

Elk County;301;000;—;2

Brockway—10

Brayden Thompson 2b 2210, Cole Decker p-ss 3122, Noah Johnson cf 2100, Easton Harris c 2022, Gunner Meredith 1b 2100, Brady Hoover eh-lf-eh 2110, Charlie Ritzie rf-eh-rf 3120, Chandler Wells 3b 2111, Reikyr McIvaine ss-p 3001, Kalun Buffone lf-eh-lf 3011, Levi Lindemuth eh-rf-eh 3100, Jonah Rush eh-rf-eh 1100. Totals: 28-10-10-7.

Elk County—2

Louie Salvaggio c 2110, Nuck Tutton ss 1100, Johnny Yeager 1b-eh 2112, Hayes Brigger p-eh-1b 2000, Jake Tettis 2b 2000, Franco Krulia eh-rf 2000, Luke Gardner lf-p-cf 2000, Maddox Aiello cf-p 2000, Hank Gerber eh-lf 2000, Leeland Wildnauer 3b 0100, Joey Wileman rf-eh-p 2000, Claire Stauffer eh 2000. Totals: 21-4-2-2.

Errors: Brockway 2, Elk Co. 2. LOB: Brockway 7, Elk Co. 2. 2B: Thompson; Yeager. HR: Decker. HBP: Thompson (by Brigger), Rush (by Brigger). SB: Wildnauer 2. CS: Decker (by Salvaggio).

Pitching

Brockway: Cole Decker-5 2/3 IP, 2 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 14 SO; Reikyr McIlvaine-1/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO.

Elk Co.: Hayes Brigger-3 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 7 SO, 2 Hb; Luke Gardner-1 2/3 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 3 SO; Maddox Aiello-2/3 IP, 4 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO; Joey Wileman-2/3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 0 SO.

Winning pitcher: Decker. Losing pitcher: Gardner.