BASEBALL
Greencastle-Antrim 12, West Perry 4: The Blue Devils handed the Mustangs a Mid Penn Colonial defeat on Thursday afternoon in Elliottsburg, a win that clinched a division co-championship for G-A.

Mason Mellott

Greencastle (16-2, 12-2 MPC) will share the title with Waynesboro, which is 15-4 (12-2 MPC) after winning a doubleheader over James Buchanan on Thursday.

The Blue Devils led 4-1 after four innings, then broke it open with 6 runs in the fifth.

“We hit some balls really hard early that got caught,” Greencastle coach Eric Shaner said. “We were able to manufacture some things until we were able to generate a good bit of traffic and get some hits.”

In the big fifth inning, the first two runs scored on a hit by Cam Rakaczewski, a walk to Avery Horst, an error and an RBI hit by Manny Brookens. Bo Brookens walked and a Mason Mellott single made it 7-1. A sacrifice fly by Landon Bishop emptied the bases, but Bryce Davidson then swatted a solo home run to left field for the final run.

Rakaczewski, Mellott and Davidson each had 2 hits, while Rakaczewski (3), Bishop (2) and Davidson (2) had multiple runs batted in.

Horst (6-1) got the start and the win, throwing 5 innings and allowing 4 hits, 1 run, 1 walk and struck out 6.

Shaner said, “Avery was efficient on the mound. We’re still trying to chase one of the top two seeds (in the District 3 playoffs), so every win is big.”

G-A is currently ranked No. 3 in the district in Class 5A, behind Palmyra and Lower Dauphin. A win in Greencastle’s final regular season game, at home Monday vs. Mechanicsburg, could be a big factor.

SOFTBALL
Greencastle-Antrim 6, West Perry 2: Leading only 4-3 through 5.5 innings, the Blue Devils took the pressure off by scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a Mid Penn Colonial victory over the Mustangs at home on Thursday afternoon.

Alivia Updyke

Brooklyn Sanchez went 3-for-4 with 2 doubles and a pair of runs batted in to lead Greencastle (15-2, 11-2 MPC). Alivia Updyke also went 2-for-3 and knocked in a run.

In the big sixth inning, Serenity Goodman walked, followed by a base hit from Updyke. After 2 batters struck out, Sanchez delivered in the clutch, belting a double to center field that brought in 2 runs. Miranda Martin became a courtesy runner and she scored the final run when a pop-up by Kylie Kerns was misplayed.

In the first inning, Sanchez smacked a double and two runs eventually scored on a steal of home by Goodman and a fielder’s choice RBI by Kindal Rice.

In the fourth, G-A went ahead 3-2 after two outs. Lily Crum walked and went to third on a single by Updyke. When the Mustangs tried to get Crum at third, Updyke moved to second, and when West Perry threw the ball there, Crum dashed home.

Kiersten Swain (7-2) went the distance for the win, allowing 7 hits, no walks and striking out 6. She threw 71 strikes in her 101 pitches.

The Blue Devils are currently ranked No. 2 in District 3 Class 5A with three games left — at Northern on Friday, at Bishop McDevitt on Saturday and at Chambersburg on Tuesday. A win over Northern would give Greencastle a share of the Mid Penn Colonial Division championship with Big Spring, but G-A would win the tiebreaker and qualify for the Mid Penn playoffs.