By:
Triblive
Tuesday, June 10, 2025 | 5:07 PM
Christopher Horner | TribLive
Indiana’s Tim Birch celebrates with Mark Collinger after scoring against Elizabeth Forward during the WPIAL Class 4A championship game May 27 at EQT Park.
Indiana won the longest baseball game in PIAA playoff history Tuesday, scoring the decisive run on a walk-off walk by Caden Force in the bottom of the 17th inning of a 6-5 victory over East Pennsboro in the PIAA Class 4A semifinals.
The game was suspended tied 5-5 after 13 innings Monday night.
In the bottom of the 17th, Carter Putt led off with a walk, Ethan Shank reached on a bunt and Mark Collinger was intentionally walked. After a strikeout, Force walked with the bases loaded to account for the winning run.
Before Tuesday, three games that went 15 innings were the longest in PIAA history.
Tim Birch delivered the tying RBI single in the bottom of the seventh Monday.
After that, three Indiana pitchers combined to allow a total of two hits and no walks in 10 scoreless innings. Collinger worked a perfect ninth and 10th, Greg Minnick gave up one hit in four innings and Brady Oakes allowed one hit in four innings Tuesday to earn the win.
Birch finished 3 for 7 with two RBIs, Charlie Manzi singled, doubled and scored and Collinger doubled and drove in two runs for Indiana (25-1), which will meet Montoursville (20-4) in the state finals at 1:30 p.m. Friday at Penn State.
Steel Bayer went 3 for 7 with two runs scored and Aaron Angelo doubled and drove in a run for East Pennsboro (23-1).
This story will be updated.