By HUNTER O. LYLE
SMETHPORT, PA – In their fourth contest of the season, the Smethport baseball team saw the game from all angles. Clawing their way back early, fighting to preserve and mounting another clutch comeback late, the Hubbers exhausted all their resources to pull out a 10-9 win over Cameron County, successfully tacking on a third straight win.
The tooth-and-nail fight from the Red Raiders was the first of its kind for the Hubbers. Having seen three opponents before entering Monday’s matchup, they had found themselves on both sides of the blowout spectrum, first losing to Port Allegany 21-0 before downing Northern Potter and Oswayo Valley by a combined score of 25-1.
“The first game, we hadn’t seen the field yet and we played a little hesitant, but then we had a sit down talk with the guys and they came out of their shells,” said Smethport head coach Colby Austin. “I think they’re starting to believe in themselves and believe they can win some games. The conversations seem to be working and they seem to be more excited for the games.”
While Smethport opened the game with a near perfect first frame, seeing their ace Zach Hungiville tally two strikeouts in the initial Red Raider three-and-out, their resolve quickly faded thereafter. After being put out in three themselves, mistakes began to pile up in bunches.
To start the second, Cam Co’s Cayden Trumpie broke ground on the baseline, reaching first on a missed connection at first before making his way to second on a passed ball. A single from Isaac Grovanz and two more passed balls later and the Red Raiders quickly put themselves in scoring position. Another error in the infield let in the first run of the day in favor of Cam Co and although Smethport tacked on back-to-back outs immediately after, yet another error, this time an overthrow to first, brought in two more scores.
“We just had some people playing a little hesitant still and I think once we get everybody to be able to play more free, I think the kids will be more successful,” said Austin.
Unable to retaliate in their second trip to the batters’ box, the Hubbers’ frustrations continued to grow as they watched another wave of miscues and mistakes let in two more runs in the top of the third. After two frames, the Red Raiders sat atop a 6-0 lead, having only recorded one earned run – a sacrifice grounder from Grovanz that drove in Trumpie.
However, feeling the pressure already, the Hubbers’ exasperation eventually proved fruitful.
Looking to turn the tide sooner rather than later, Mason Swanson tallied the first Hubbers hit of the day, rocketing a shot into right field that landed him on second base. Stealing third, the next man up, Wyatt Hungiville, immediately brought him in with an RBI-single. As the momentum began to grow, Smethport produced four hits through their next five batters, scoring three runs as they quickly began chipping away at the deficit. Fully rotating through their lineup, they ultimately retook control, ending the inning up 7-6.
“It was just getting that one base hit. We just needed to get one guy on,” said Austin. “We’re very aggressive on the baseline so once we get somebody on, I think they start to believe in themselves and get going. Once things got rolling, it seemed to just keep building for us.”
After dispatching the Red Raiders in four in the fourth, the Hubbers added to their lead with a RBI-single from Colin Riekofsky, pulling away by two. However, this time Cam Co was ready to respond.
Putting themselves on the diamond with scattered hits before then capitalizing on a handful of renewed errors – the Hubbers gave up runs on a dropped pitch and overthrow on a pickoff at first – the Red Raiders neatly evened the score at eight before forcing two stranded runners as they blanked Smethport in the bottom of the fifth. Keeping their foot on the gas, they jumped back into the driver’s seat with a hard hit shot through the infield from Trumpie with two outs and one man on in the sixth.
Once again, the Hubbers had their feet to the fire. And once again, they thrived under pressure.
After suffering their first out in their first batter, Cole Burdick, Jonah Ganoe and Camryn Young filled the diamond with a single, a perfectly placed bunt and a walk in quick succession. Needing a clutch hit, Aiden Tanner delivered, notching his first of the day with a single to bring Burdick across home plate and knot the game at nine.
With palpable tension in the air, it was the Red Raiders’ turn to finally make a mistake, walking the next Hubber as they surrendered the lead for the second time of the afternoon. All Smethport had to do was tie on a tourniquet. With Riekofsky on the mound, the Hubbers did so in just four batters, fanning a pair while fielding a fly out to preserve their comeback, seal the win and keep their success streak alive.
“Previously we have not done well when fighting from behind, so I think we have some guys getting in the right mindset to come out and just keep calm and keep plugging away,” said Austin. “They did well. It was a team win all around.”
Five Hubbers ended with multiple hits in the win. Swanson ended a perfect 2-for-2, registering two RBIs and one run scored, while Riekofsky finished 2-for-4 with three RBIs and one run scored. Burdick, Wyatt Hungiville and Konnor Davis each also tallied two hits, combining for five runs and one RBI. On the mound, Zach Hungiville came away with seven strikeouts, allowing just three hits, while Riekofsky fanned eight batteries and let in just two hits.
Already sitting one win away from eclipsing last year’s record, the Hubbers’ dugout is nothing but positive. While they understand the season is still in its infancy, the road ahead seems optimistic.
“We always have a team goal of making the playoffs, so we’re looking at that 0.500 mark. There’s some good teams in this league, so once we get to play some from the South, we’re going to have some competition ahead of us,” said Austin, whose team currently sits at 3-1 in the North Tier League. “But we’re just going to take it one game at a time and take no games for granted.”
AT SMETHPORT
Cameron County 033 021 0 R:9 H:5 E:0
Smethport 007 102 X R:10 H:13 E:4
Cameron County: Tucker (3 SO, 2 BB), G. Trumpie (3) (5 SO, 4 BB) and C. Trumpie
Smethport: Hungiville (7 SO, 3 BB), Riekofsky (5) (8 SO, 2 BB) and Young
