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Northern wins with balk
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Jason Malmont/The Sentinel
Northern pitcher Tyler Follmer releases his pitch home Friday against Camp Hill. Northern won in the bottom of the seventh.
DILLSBURG - It wasn’t the best way for a game to end, but it was a win and Northern coach Brian Robison would take it.
In a driving rain Friday evening with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning of a Mid-Penn crossover game tied 3-3, Northern’s Cam Richardson asked the home plate umpire for a timeout.
The request wasn’t granted but Camp Hill pitcher Michael Frankenfield stopped in mid-delivery
The result: Hank Sanders, who led off the inning with a sharp double down the right field line and moved to third on Sam Crater’s fielders’ choice, trotted home thanks to the balk call for a 4-3 win.
“Unfortunately, you hate to see a game end like that,” Robison said. “We’ve had three close games this week so we’ll take them any way we can get them.”
Camp Hill coach Brad Shover didn’t like the call but couldn’t argue with it.
“The guy steps out of the box and calls timeout. My pitcher hears timeout and stops. It’s the proper call because the ump never did call timeout,” Shover said. “It’s just a heck of a way to lose game.”
The balk put a damper on a strong outing by Frankenfield, who lasted only two innings Wednesday against Trinity, but tossed all 6 1/3 innings against the Polar Bears.
On Friday, the right-hander kept Northern (5-3) off balance most of the game and battled through a few jams.
The Polar Bears left the bases loaded in the first inning and could manage only one run in the fifth after having two in scoring position with one out.
“He’s real tired right now,” Shover said of his pitcher. “But he threw real well today. He gave us everything he had.”
In the seventh, Sanders wasted little time as he jumped on the first pitch he saw and cruised into second.
“I didn’t really think about it, I just went up there and hit,” said Sanders, who started the day 0-for-3. “Early in the game (Frankenfield) was changing speeds a lot but near the end the ball was becoming more flat and getting a little less movement.
“But he threw a great game. I have to give it to him, he had my number.”
Camp Hill (4-3) broke on top first with two runs in the third. Jim Rish knocked in Matt Boyd with a ground out and Parker Marsh scored on an error.
The Bears immediately clawed back with three hits, including an RBI double by winning pitcher Crater, and two runs in the bottom half.
Follmer, who threw the first 5 1/3 innings for Northern, raced home from third on a wild pitch for a 3-2 lead in the fifth. But the Lions responded when Boyd’s flare to right dropped on the foul line for an RBI double and a 3-3 score.
“I think they were fairly confident. I don’t think they panicked at all,” Robison said of his team’s reaction to losing the lead. “They’ve proven that they can score a run to win a game.”
The win was Northern’s third of the week and second of the walk-off variety. The Bears surprised previously unbeaten Shippensburg, 1-0, in 10 innings Tuesday and followed that with a 4-2 win over Susquenita on Thursday before slipping by Camp Hill.
“This is just sort of like icing on the cake for a good week,” Robison said. “It’s something the kids can build on.”
Camp Hill closed a busy four-game week with a respectable 2-2 record. The Lions were one-hit by Mid-Penn Capital leader James Buchanan Tuesday and were without the power-hitting L.K. Thompson (illness) on Friday.
“We didn’t have L.K. here today and I’m down to my third and fourth pitchers but they played a good game,” Shover said. “It’s a shame to lose it like that but the kids should be proud.”
Both teams return to division play Monday at 4 p.m. Camp Hill hosts Greencastle-Antrim while Northern travels to East Pennsboro.
Susquehanna Twp. 10, East Pennsboro 2
Josh Dinterman collected both RBIs and Jeff Nornhold went 2-for-3 but East Pennsboro couldn’t overcome undefeated Susquehanna Twp. (7-0) in a 10-2 loss Friday.
Dinterman and Porter each knocked doubles for the Panthers (2-5).
CCAC
Living Word 14, Bible Baptist 5
Charlie Fitzpatrick collected two doubles and finished 2-for-3 from the leadoff position but Bible Baptist dropped a rough 14-5 decision to visiting Living Word Academy.
The Lions broke open a 4-1 game with a seven-spot in the third inning and cruised.
Kyle Swanson also had a double and an RBI for the Bobcats (1-5).
