By Chris Rossetti, www.d9sports.com
Special to MaxPreps.com
ALTOONA, Pa. – The South team used a 5-run fourth inning to get a 9-7 win over the North in the inaugural S&T Bank Altoona Curve All-Star Classic featuring PIAA Districts 5, 6 and 9 Sunday at the Blair County Ballpark in Altoona.
The North’s Jerico Weitzel of Ridgway was named the game’s MVP after going 2-for-2 with a pair of singles, two runs scored, a sacrifice fly and two RBIs.
“It’s a nice honor,” Weitzel, who is headed to the University of Florida in the fall and who was drafted by the Minnesota Twins a couple of weeks ago, said. “It probably could have gone to anyone. I was lucky.
“It (the game) has been fun. It’s been fun being with a higher level of competition than you usually see in high school. It was also fun to play with kids who I played against during my career. It was a good time.”
Pat Smith of Hollidaysburg and Drew Peterson of Juniata Valley were also in the running for the MVP.
Smith was 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in the first that went over 390 feet to left-center field and two runs scored. He also started for the South and pitched two innings allowing two unearned runs on three hits.
Peterson picked up the save pitching a scoreless seventh walking two but striking out three. He was also 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of singles, two runs scored and an RBI.
“I played all right,” Peterson said. “I was happy to get to bat from both sides of the plate. I really wanted to pitch, and I played left field for the first time in five years because we needed someone to play out there.
“It was an excellent experience getting to be part of the first S&T Bank Classic. I would like to thank all the people involved in getting this event started. I just loved it, and I am sure kids in the future are going to love it.”
The North took a 5-3 lead with three runs in the top of the third thanks to RBIs from Philipsburg-Osceola’s Matt Curtis, Weitzel and Punxsutawney’s Christian Muth.
But the South answered with an unearned run off Redbank Valley’s Craig Hibell in the bottom of the third and then scored five times in the fourth off of loser Justin Koleno of Bald Eagle.
The first six batters of the fourth reached base against Koleno, who was charged with four hits, two walks and four earned runs in the inning. RBIs for the South in the inning went to Peterson, Somerset’s Tyler Uphouse and Richland’s Russ Gray. A run also scored on a balk and another on a wild pitch in the inning giving the South a 9-5 lead.
The North’s best chance to get back into the game came in the fifth when it loaded the bases with no one out against Conemaugh Township’s Sam Watkins. But Watkins minimized the damage allowing just one run when Union’s Kasey Kriebel was safe on a fielder’s choice that kept the bases loaded. But Watkins struck out West Branch’s Justin Kopchik and Cameron County’s Jordan Crane before getting Koleno to fly out to left.
The North did get to within two, 9-7, on an RBI single by Bradford’s Ryan LaBrozzi in the sixth, and it had two on with just one out in the seventh but couldn’t score against Peterson, who earned the save.
Indian Valley’s Devon Pearson picked up the win going two innings and allowing three runs, two of them earned, on three hits and two walks while striking out two.
