Greencastle 11-12 team opens strong

The Greencastle-Antrim Baseball Softball Association entry into the PA District 14 Major Division Little League Baseball Inc. championship tournament sailed through the Southwest Pool last week and advanced Greencastle into the double elimination tournament.

Greencastle defeated Shippensburg, 3-2, Sunday and earlier in the week had posted lopsided wins over Pen Mar (8-1) and Gettysburg (9-1) to go 3-0 in the pool. Double elimination play begins Thursday, July 3.

Against Shippensburg, Greencastle made the most of just four hits on the game, while relying on Thomas Bowers' mound performance. Eli Englehart and Jake Crist each doubled, while Bowers helped his own cause and Ashtin Byers both singled.

Bowers went five and twothirds innings and fanned seven in a four-hit victory.

Earlier in the tourney against Pen Mar, Greencastle's Justin Hovey worked nearly flawlesly from the mound allowing only two hits and tallying 16 strikeouts in the 2008 opening game of pool play.

Hovey helped his cause, going 2-for-4 at the plate. Crist and Englehart also accounted for base hits.

Gettysburg was also no match for the local team, which played host to the pool play.

Ryan Ricci went strong from the mound for Greencastle in this one, recording nine Ks and allowing just two hits in the 9-1 win over Gettysburg and securing a spot in the next round of double elimination play.

Byers had the extra hot bat for the home team, going 4-for-4 with a double and a second inning homerun. Crist doubled on a 3-for- 4 night.