Tri-Town intermediates heading to state championship game in baseball | News, Sports, Jobs

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Tri-Town’s intermediate baseball team advanced to the state championship game in Hollidaysburg.

HOLLIDAYSBURG — Talk about a thriller. It took nine innings, but Tri-Town is heading to the Little League intermediate state championship game on Friday.

Tri-Town earned an exciting 8-7 win in nine innings against over Hollidaysburg after Roman Meckbach singles in the ninth, scoring the game-winning run.

“I’ve been preaching the whole time about being a good teammate and everyone contributing,” Tri-Town manager Lyle Huggler said. “We’re just trying to keep them level-headed. You never know whenever you’ll get your opportunity.”

Kaden Caster collected three hits in three at bads and had a ninth-inning double, singled in the third and singled in the sixth.

On the mound, Lyle Huggler earned the win as he was one of four pitchers to compete. Kaden caster threw 1 2/3 innings and struck out four, Huggler threw an inning with one strikeout and one hit, Meckbach threw 2 1/3 innings with five strikeouts and two hits and Kellynn Wool threw four innings with four strikeouts.

“Kaden Caster has been throwing well, then I went to Kellynn Wool and stretched him out to almost 60 pitches and he ate up a lot of innings for us,” Huggler said. “We went to Roman, he shut the door and then we went to Lyle and he took the heart of the order down with 11 pitches. That was huge at the end.”

Tri-Town’s offense collected 12 hits in the win. Kaden caster went 3 for 3 with an RBI and three runs scored, Huggler was 3 for 3 with a RBI, walk and two runs scored, Meckbach went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, Kameron Caster went 2 for 2 with two RBIs and a walk and Dristian Dimoff went 2 for 3 with a run scored.

Caster and Dimoff both had doubles.

“Hollidaysburg was a really good team, I think we compare really well. I really like my pitching. I love my offense and I’ve had these boys for a couple years now, it’s great,” Huggler said. “It just feels like everything’s coming together at this stage.”

Tri-Town plays at 11 a.m. on Friday for the state championship with an if game, if necessary, following afterwards.

“We’re super excited. I have every pitcher back except one pitcher that I’ll have available for Friday,” Huggler said. “We’re stoked about it, we couldn’t be in a better place.”

Tri-Town also had nine walks in the win.

Tri-Town led 4-3 thanks to a Kameron Craster single in the bottom of the third inning. Hollidaysburg would claim the lead in the sixth, 6-4, but Tri-Town never stopped fighting. The East Lycoming Little Leaguers used singles by Lyle Huggler and a walk by Wool to tie the game 6-6.

Hollidaysburg took a 7-6 lead in the top of the ninth inning off a single. Kaden Caster doubled down the left-field line in the ninth inning to tie the game, 7-7, before Meckbach’s walk-off single ended the game.

Tri-Town 8, Hollidaysburg 7

(INTERMEDIATE STATE TOURNAMENT)

K. Caster, K. Wool (2), Meckbach (6), Huggler (9) and B. Richmond. W: Huggler.

Top Tri-Town hitters: Kaden Caster 3-3, 2B, RBI, BB, 3 runs; Lyle Huggler 3-3, RBI, BB, 2 runs; Roman Meckbach 2-3, BB, 2 RBIs; Kameron Caster 2-2, 2 RBIs, BB; Dristian Dimoff 2-3, 2B, run.