CURWENSVILLE – In a game weather-wise that felt like first downs, touchdowns and extra points being called, the Curwensville high school baseball team beat the Owls of Harmony 4-1, on a very, very cold Monday afternoon of Moshannon Valley League (MVL) action on the Golden Tide’s home field.
Hunter McCracken (1-2) went the distance for Curwensville in picking up his first win of the season, scattering five hits, allowing one unearned run and striking out 11.
Curwensville head coach Denny Johns felt good for his senior hurler, saying afterwards, “I really am happy for Hunter (McCracken), to see him get a chance to be on the mound. He didn’t get many opportunities to throw due to a lingering shoulder injury, so this was a very special day for him.”
Harmony senior pitcher Brandon Fox also had a special day on the hill, in spite of the loss, giving up just three hits, four runs (three earned) and striking out 14 Golden Tide.
Johns recognized the effort by the Harmony pitcher, “We feel very fortunate to come away with the win considering how well Brandon (Fox) threw the ball this afternoon. He gave a great effort.”
The best inning for the Tide offense was the first, as Curwensville put two runs on the board with a two out rally.
Jake Stiles and Brett Gardner picked up back to back walks and with some nifty base running were both able to score on a first pitch single to right field by Jason Bloom.
Johns was glad Bloom (Jason) delivered, commenting, “Jason’s (Bloom) single in the first inning was very big for us that brought those first two runs home.”
Curwensville scored one tally in the bottom of the third to go up 3-0 after Tanner Elensky led off reaching first base after being hit by a pitch by Fox.
Elensky stole second and moved to third base on a throw to second later in the inning in an attempt to cut down Jake Stiles stealing second. Stiles had walked earlier to reach first base.
With one out, Tide second baseman, Brett Gardner, smacked a sacrifice fly to center field that scored Elensky.
Harmony tallied its lone run in the top half of the fifth inning when Logan Sral, leading off, picked up an infield single.
Third baseman Troy Solley followed with a single to right field, scoring Sral all the way from first base after the ball got away from the Tide outfield.
An insurance run for Curwensville came in the bottom of the fourth when Brad Coudriet tripled down the right field line and scored after a dropped third strike on Curwensville’s Curt Bloom and a subsequent error on the throw to first base in an attempt to record the out on Bloom.
Sral and Solley each had two hits for Harmony on the day.
Curwensville is now 5-12 on the year and finish MVL play at 3-1.
The Tide are alone in first place in the MVL with West Branch in second at 2-1. The Warriors have a make-up game with Harmony that may or may not get played.
The Tide will play a doubleheader on the road Tuesday with a 3:30 pm start against Brockway, then will bus to Brookville for a hopeful start of 7:15 pm.
Brockway beat the Tide earlier this season 3-0, while Brookville knocked off Curwensville 11-2 last Thursday.
HARMONY – 1
Dustin Kurtz ss 3010, Devin Beck rf 2000, Brandon Fox p 3000, Austin Hugill c 3000, Logan Sral 3120, Troy Solley 3b 3020, Josh Lucas 2b 2000, Robert Nalley lf 1000, Jordan Kruise ph/lf 2000, Evan Novella 3000, TOTALS – 25 1 5 0.
CURWENSVILLE – 4
Tanner Elensky ss 2100, Kyle Bloom c 2000, Alex Olson ph 1000, Jake Stiles 3b 1100, Brett Gardner 2b 1111, Jason Bloom 1b 3012, Brad Coudriet lf 3110, Hunter McCracken 3000, Curt Bloom rf 2000, Jordan Russell cf 2000, TOTALS – 20 4 3 3
SCORE BY INNINGS – R H E
HARMONY 000 100 0 – 1 5 1
CURWENSVILLE 201 100 x – 4 3 3
ERRORS – Hugill; J. Bloom, C. Bloom, K. Bloom. LOB – HARMONY 8; CURWENSVILLE 4. DP – CURWENSVILLE. 3B – Coudriet. SB – Stiles 2, Elensky. SF – Gardner. HBP- Elensky (by Fox).
PITCHING
HARMONY
Fox 6 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 14 K, 1 HB
CURWENSVILLE
McCracken 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 6 BB, 11 K
WP – McCracken (1-2) LP – Fox
UMPIRES: Norman Bender, Anthony Kline.
Golden Tide Scoreboard:
| Date | Opponent | Score | Record |
| 3/25 | @ Johnsonburg | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 3/27 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 4/02 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 4/03 | HARMONY | ppd. | 0 – 0 |
| 4/06 | @ Harry Combs Classic | ||
| vs. Central, VA | 10 – 11 | 0 – 1 | |
| vs. Millbrook, VA | 2 – 13 | 0 – 2 | |
| 4/08 | KANE | 11 – 1 | 1 – 2 |
| 4/10 | @ Elk County Catholic | 0 – 1 | 1 – 3 |
| 4/12 | @ Moshannon Valley | ppd. | 1 – 3 |
| 4/15 | DUBOIS CENTRAL | 1 – 8 | 1 – 4 |
| 4/16 | BROCKWAY | 0 – 3 | 1 – 5 |
| 4/18 | RIDGWAY | 6 – 1 | 2 – 5 |
| 4/19 | @ Brookville | ppd. | 2 – 5 |
| 4/22 | JOHNSONBURG | 3 – 5 | 2 – 6 |
| 4/24 | @ DuBois Central | ppd. | 2 – 6 |
| 4/26 | @ DuBois Central | 6 – 16 | 2 – 7 |
| 4/27 | @ Johnsonburg | 1 – 14 | 2 – 8 |
| 4/29 | WEST BRANCH | 6 – 12 | 2 – 9 |
| 5/01 | @ Moshannon Valley | 11 – 2 | 3 – 9 |
| 5/02 | @ Kane | 5 – 9 | 3 – 10 |
| 5/03 | GLENDALE | ppd. | 3 – 10 |
| 5/06 | ELK COUNTY CATHOLIC | 1 – 6 | 3 – 11 |
| 5/07 | GLENDALE | 6 – 5 | 4 – 11 |
| 5/08 | @ Brockway | ppd. | 4 – 11 |
| 5/09 | BROOKVILLE | 2 – 11 | 4 – 12 |
| 5/13 | HARMONY | 4 – 1 | 5 – 12 |
| 5/14 | @ Brockway (3:30 pm) | ||
| 5/14 | @ Brookville (7:15 pm) | ||
| 5/15 | @ Ridgway |
