CLEARFIELD — The start of the VFW 15-16-year-old State Teener League Tournament had a dramatic ending for Schuylkill North.
Austin Dietz scored the game-winning run on an error in the bottom of the seventh inning, lifting Schuylkill North to a walk-off, 10-9 victory over Penns Valley on Friday afternoon at Clearfield High School.
With game tied at 9, Dietz led off the bottom of the seventh with a single. Penns Valley’s pitcher tried to pick him off at first but threw the ball away and Dietz ended up at second. He then went to third on a passed ball.
After Jordan Donmoyer walked and stole second, Schuylkill North manager John Chuma attempted a squeeze play with Nick Kowalishen at the plate. Dietz took off for home, and scored when the throw to the plate sailed over the catcher’s head.
“We had Bobby Wagner up next, and Donmoyer would have gotten to third, so I figured I would try it,” Chuma said. “It worked out.”
Next up for Schuylkill North, the Area 2 champs, is Area 4 champ Lebanon City in the winners’ bracket semifinal at 9 this morning. Lebanon City blasted Area 6 champ Philipsburg 11-2 in its opening-round game Friday.
If Schuylkill North wins, it will take on the Bald Eagle-Clearfield winner in the winners’ bracket final at 1 p.m. Sunday. If Schuylkill North loses this morning, it will face the Altoona-Lebanon Valley winner in a losers’ bracket game at 5 p.m. today.
Richie Zahodnick, Josh Jacavage, Max Nolter and Wagner had two hits apiece for Schuylkill North. Evan Kosar and Jacavage drove in two runs apiece, while Wagner and Nolter had doubles.
Zahodnick relived starter Al Norris in the sixth and got the win.
Schuylkill North was leading 5-2 after five innings before Penn Valley scored seven runs in the top of the sixth to take a 9-5 lead. Schuylkill North tied with it a four-run bottom of the inning.
Luke Snyder had three hits, all doubles, for Penn Valley, the Area 5 runner-up.
VFW 15-16-year-old State Tournament
At Clearfield
Penns Val. 100 017 0 — 9 10 3
Sch. North 001 044 1 — 10 11 4
Homer, Sharer (6) and Snyder; Norris, Zahodnick (6) and Nolter. W — Zahodnick. L — Homer.
HITS: Penns Valley — Butts 2, Homer 2, Snyder 3, Stinger 2, Long. Schuylkill North — B. Wagner 2, Zahodnick 2, Jacavage 2, Nolter 2, Kosar, Dietz, Kowalishen.
2B — Butts, Snyder 3, B. Wagner, Nolter.