WINGATE — The Bald Eagle Area baseball team’s first outing of the 2017 season, against Penns Valley on March 27, was a definitive example of the kinds of things that can happen in early-season high school baseball.
Twenty total runs, 17 hits, 29 walks, eight errors and 29 runners left on base. The game took more than three hours to play, and it was still tied 10-10 when it was suspended because of darkness after the seventh inning.
Through all of that, the Eagles can take heart in the fact that they battled back from behind three times. The last was a gritty, two-run rally in the bottom of the seventh inning that tied the game at 10 before the umpires suspended play.
For all the bad things that happened, one of them did not include losing.
“I’m proud of the fact that we did battle,” BEA coach Jim Gardner said, “and we didn’t lay down. And that is good. They never packed it in and kept battling. They just need to know that if you give any team an opportunity with 20 walks, you are going to be in a game. We’re fortunate to get out of here with a tie.”
The good news for the Eagles is that they are certain to be looking forward to better times ahead.
BEA returns eight players from a solid 11-8 team in 2016. That team was actually 11-5 going down the stretch, but, unfortunately, lost three very close games to end the season. The final regular-season loss came to Bellefonte, the team that went on to win the PIAA state championship.
There are productive players who have to be replaced, however. Trey Butterworth led the Eagles with a .446 average, and he was followed by Noah Chambers (.400) and Ryan Guenot (.310). Guenot (2-1) will also have to be replaced on the mound, along with Brandon Barnyak (3-2) and Andrew Onder (1-2).
The rotation this season will begin with Brian Egan, 3-3 last year, Ty Walker (1-0), Garret Barnhart and Tanner Kresovich. All four pitched in the opener against Penns Valley.
“Today, we (the pitchers) really, really struggled,” Gardner said. “It was next guy up. But we had a couple guys do well for us. Barnhart did a nice job, but his arm started to get sore so we had to get him out of there. And Tanner (Kresovich) finished up fairly well for us. Everybody can get better, and we all talked about it out here. We have to come to work tomorrow determined to get better.”
Seven Eagles hit safely against PV, led by Walker’s single, double and three RBI. Jordan Jones had two RBI, and Hunter Eminhizer and Jake Gates each had one.
Defensively, early season on a rough field, the Eagles committed just one error.
“I could tell that the kids believed, so that’s a good sign,” Gardner said. “They made some things happen, put the ball in play, and hustled like crazy, so that’s a good sign for them.
“I was extremely pleased with the defense that we played. The field was a little rough, but we hung tough and made some really nice plays. Couple double plays.
“The hitting overall, first game out wasn’t bad. Some good at bats, but some I’m sure the kids wish they had back.”
The Eagles jump right into the Mountain League schedule and do not have much time to reflect in their first game. Upcoming, there are games at Philipsburg-Osceola (Thursday, March 30), Juniata (Monday, April 3), Huntingdon (Friday, April 7) and Clearfield (Monday, April 10). They are also home against Central on Tuesday, April 4.
“It’s a tough schedule and we have to be ready to play,” Gardner said. “We know what Philipsburg’s all about, and we have to go out there and not give them anything. Baseball is a very, very simple game if you execute the basics.”
