NTL BASEBALL: COWANESQUE VALLEY TO PLAY FOR DISTRICT TITLE AFTER CLASS A SEMIFINAL WIN OVER BENTON (2025-05-20)
Northern Tier WEST Sports ReportMANSFIELD — CV pitchers Ayren Morgan and Dave Hess combined to throw a one-hit shutout and the top-seeded Indians beat No. 4 Benton 3-0 in the District 4 Class A semifinals here Tuesday.
Morgan started and went four and two-third innings to get the win, giving up a lone Benton hit and walking three while striking out eight Tiger batters.
Hess relieved Morgan in the fifth and threw the final two and a third innings without giving up a hit or issuing a walk and striking out three to earn the save.
After two and a half scoreless innings, Loagan Stickler drew a one-out walk in the bottom of the third. After Stickler stole second, Hess came through with a single to center field that scored Stickler and Hess ended up replacing Stickler at second base on the throw.
Morgan sacrificed Hess to third with a groundout and with Lucas Hamilton at the plate with an 0-2 count, Hess stole home to put the Indians up 2-0.
The score held until the bottom of the sixth when Hamilton singled and Danny Smith and Gavin Churchill both walked to load the bases with one out for CV. After a fielder’s choice off the bat of William Kies got Hamilton out at home, Hunter Simonds delivered a single to score Smith and the Indians led 3-0 going to the seventh inning.
Hess got Benton to ground out for one out, then struck out a pair of Tigers sandwiched around the only baserunner Hess allowed .. on an error .. and Cowanesque Valley sealed the semifinal win.
The Indians finished with five base hits and took advantage of nine Benton errors. Hess (1 rbi, 1 run, sb), Hamilton, Levi Stahli (sb), Churchill and Simonds (1 rbi) had CV’s hits while Stickler added a pair of walks and he and Smith each scored a run.
CV advances to the Class A final, scheduled to be played Friday at 4 p.m. at Bowman Field in Williamsport. They’ll face No. 2 seed St. John Neumann (13-4), who beat No. 3 seed Millville 4-3 to reach the championship game.
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PHOTOS: Lance Larcom
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