Tri-Valley's Owen Miller stand in the batter's box and prepares to hit. Also pictured is Pottsville catcher Harrison Ciavarella and home plate umpire Grant Yoder (Photo by Eli Doyle).

Dawgs capture Division I crown, Eagles and Vikings lock in No. 2 seeds; Golden Bears rally late, Spartans rolls on the road

POTTSVILLE — With Schuylkill League Playoffs implication in the balance, it came down to two underclassmen trading punches on the mound and refusing to blink.

Freshman Daxton Maurer outlasted sophomore Danny Markus as Tri-Valley edged Pottsville 1-0 in eight innings in a Schuylkill League Division I baseball game Friday at Jim Steidle Field.

In a game where every pitch carried weight, both lineups were kept in check as Maurer and Markus matched each other late in high-pressure moments. After seven scoreless innings, the Dawgs finally broke through in the eighth when Braeden Doyle delivered a clutch RBI single — the only run either team would need.

Maurer earned the win with two composed innings in relief, shutting down the Crimson Tide and rising to the moment in one of the biggest spots of the season. Markus was equally impressive, allowing just one run late while keeping Pottsville within striking distance throughout his 3.1 innings of work.

Doyle opened the game on the hill for Tri-Valley and tossed three scoreless innings before Owen Miller took over in relief. Miller also threw three scoreless innings. Both Miller and Doyle only allowed two hits a piece. On the flip side, Max Clews tossed 4.2 innings on the hill for the Tide, allowing two hits and striking out a trio.

Pottsville had its chances, collecting hits from Clews, Landon Trout, Brody Eroh, Brody Hess and Christian Alvarez, but couldn’t find the timely string of hits needed. The Dawgs managed just three hits of their own — one each from Miller, Doyle and Marek Zettick — making Doyle’s extra-inning swing loom even larger.

With the win, Tri-Valley clinches the Schuylkill League Division I title and earns a bye into the league semifinals, capping a tense, playoff-like battle on the road where every pitch truly mattered (See image below for Schuylkill League Playoffs seedings and a schedule).

Doyle, Miller (4), Maurer (7) and Troutman; Clews, Markus (5) and Ciavarella. W — Maurer (1-0). L — Markus (0-1).

HITS: Tri-Valley — Miller, Doyle, Zettick. Pottsville — Trout, Eroh, Clews, Hess, Alvarez.

Williams Valley 4, Nativity 3

POTTSVILLE — Fletcher Thompson stayed hot at the plate, collecting three hits as Williams Valley held off a late push from Nativity to secure a Division II win.

The Vikings built their lead early, taking advantage of timely hitting and pressure on the bases to go in front before the Hilltoppers could settle in. Cayden Witmer added two hits, while Cole Hubler and Gavin Deiter chipped in as part of an eight-hit effort that kept innings alive throughout.

On the mound, Hubler and Chevy Green combined to keep Nativity quiet through the first six innings before things got interesting late.

The Hilltoppers rallied in the seventh with three runs, getting contributions from Stephen Karinch, Jackson Daubert and Trey Keating, but couldn’t complete the comeback.

With the win, Williams Valley locks in the No. 2 seed in the Division II playoff bracket, continuing a strong season built on balanced offense and steady arms.

Hubler, Green (6) and Thompson; Grabowski and Bartashus. W — Green (1-2). L — Grabowski (0-7).

HITS: Williams Valley — Hubler, Thompson 3, Witmer 2, Deiter, Grren. Nativity — Keating, Karinch 2, Examitas, Clarke, Daubert 2.

Blue Mountain 4, Pine Grove 3

PINE GROVE — Aiden Finn paced the offense with two hits as Blue Mountain found a way late to slip past Pine Grove in a Division I game.

The Eagles and Cardinals traded runs throughout, with Pine Grove answering early and again in the fifth to keep things even. Blue Mountain stayed persistent, getting contributions from Brady Strause, Sonny Amato and Josh Hoover, before breaking through in the sixth on a dropped third strike that proved to be the difference.

On the mound, Riley Sebastian struck out eight over the first 4.2 innings before Ryan Clemas came on in relief and shut things down, allowing just two hits over the final frames to secure the win.

Pine Grove managed four hits from Ian Brown, Jake Hatter, Austin Frantz and Jett Anthony, while applying pressure on the bases, but couldn’t push across the tying run late.

With the victory, Blue Mountain locks in the Division I No. 2 seed for the league playoffs.

Sebastian, Clemas (5) and Amato; Snyder, Sirbaugh (6) and Dixon. W — Clemas (4-0). L — Sirbaugh (0-1).

HITS: Blue Mountain — Finn 2, Strause, Amato, Setlock, Hoover. Pine Grove — Brown, Hatter, Frantz, Anthony.

2B — Finn, Amato.

Mahanoy Area 10, Weatherly 8

WEATHERLY — Ryan Zilker totaled three hits as Mahanoy Area rallied late to outlast Weatherly in a Division II game.

The Golden Bears built an early lead before the Wreckers answered with a four-run fifth to briefly take control. Mahanoy Area didn’t fold, responding in the seventh with a five-run surge, highlighted by Derek Alvarado’s two-run single that flipped the game back in their favor.

Zilker led the charge with three hits, while Alvarado added two hits and played a key role both at the plate and on the mound in relief. Mike Gambone, Joe Rick and Damien Contreras also contributed as Mahanoy Area pieced together a 10-hit effort and applied constant pressure on the bases.

Weatherly was led by Niko Suarez’s three-hit performance, with Jeremiah Donadi, Raymond Montz and Kameron Jacoby adding hits. Despite the late push, the Wreckers couldn’t recover after Mahanoy Area’s seventh-inning rally.

Price, Alvarado (4) and Gambone; Donadi, Connors (5), Montz and Suarez. W — Alvarado (1-0). L — Montz (0-5).

HITS: Mahanoy Area — Rick, Wagner, Alvarado 2, Zilker 3, Gambone, Contreras, Oviedo. Weatherly — Montz, Donadi, Suarez 3, Jacoby.

2B — Gambone, Donadi.

North Schuylkill 8, Danville 4

Minahan, Monahan (6) and Rollenhagen; Fausey, Fry (7), Fidler (7) and catcher. W — Minahan (4-2). L — Fausey.

HITS: North Schuylkill — Brayford, Slotcavage, Rogers 2, Smith 2, Cairo, Minahan 3, Osenbach. Danville — Raup, Fidler.

2B — Minahan, Slotcavage, Rogers, Fidler.