First time’s the charm for state champion Mustangs
2024 Berks baseball coverage presented by
Utilities Employees Credit Union
By Mick Reinhard — MikeDragoSports.com correspondent
STATE COLLEGE — Gov. Mifflin’s starting pitcher, Ethan Grim, gave his performance on the mound a B- grade in the PIAA Class 5A title game Friday. Catcher Travis Jenkins was a little more generous, handing out a B+ to the junior right-hander.
Hollidaysburg, the top seed out of District 6 and the Mustangs’ opponent in the championship game, would have hated to see his A-game.
Grim commanded six strong innings, striking out 11 as he pitched Mifflin to its first PIAA team championship in any sport with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Hollidaysburg at Penn State’s Medlar Field at Lubrano Park.
After severe rain delayed the Class 3A championship game for three hours, the Mustangs and Golden Tigers started after 7 pm under the lights. The wait was worth it for the Mustangs (24-5), who set a program record for victories in claiming the championship.
Grim came out firing, striking out Hollidaysburg’s three best hitters on 13 pitches to make a statement from the first pitch.
“It was definitely a lot of adrenaline,” he said. “I wanted to win this for the team and the seniors. I came out here and did the best I could. I left it all on the field.”
Surprise Hollidaysburg starter Paul Wedel, instead of ace Carson Kensinger, matched zeroes on the scoreboard, stranding base hits from Branson Adams and Joey Berg in the first two innings.
The Golden Tigers struck first in the third as a leadoff walk to Bradey Michaels returned to bite Grim. After moving up 90 feet on a sacrifice bunt, Michaels scored when Jake Hileman singled off the glove of a diving Bryce Detwiler at shortstop.
Mifflin (22-4) answered immediately, responding in its half of the frame. Detwiler, the Berks Player of the Year, launched a ground-rule double that bounced off the warning track and over the fence. Adams followed with a fly ball that center fielder Hileman slipped tracking to put two runners in scoring position.
Jenkins rolled a ground ball to first, but Ethan Karageanes elected to take the out before throwing home, giving the Mustangs the tying run as Detwiler slid in safely before the tag.
Hollidaysburg (17-6) worked another leadoff walk in the next inning but Jenkins pounced on a sacrifice bunt attempt to cut down the lead runner with a bullet to second base. Grim recorded the final two outs of the frame without further damage.
“Travis is a difference-maker,” Mifflin head coach Chris Hole said. “He is a weapon back there. He handles the staff, blocks everything, and is a very special player.”
Miscues from the Golden Tigers and a timely base hit gave the Mustangs a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Dylan Barrett reached on a throwing error, was sacrificed to second, and moved up on a bold decision to advance as third baseman Drew Banks bobbled the grounder from RJ Weaver.
After an uncontested steal of second, senior Bryce Wunderlich delivered a two-strike single up the middle to score the go-ahead run before Weaver was thrown out at home on a strike from Hileman.
“The coaches always tell us to put the ball on the ground,” Wunderlich said. “Make somebody make a play. There’s no bad hops in the air, as Coach Kurt (Henry) likes to say.”
From there, it was all Grim and Detwiler, as the two juniors made the lead stick, overwhelming the Golden Tigers. Grim allowed two hits over six innings on 110 pitches, and Detwiler struck out the side in the seventh to secure the victory and the first baseball title from a Berks County team in eight years.
“Nothing can beat that,” UConn commit Detwiler said. “I mentally prepared all week to come in (in) the seventh inning and get three outs to win a state championship. All the hard work we did since January, and it feels amazing pushing all these seniors off to college with a state championship.”
Mifflin knocked out six hits, with Adams leading the way, going 2-for-3.
“One of the first thoughts going through my mind was how happy I am for all the players that came through our program that helped advance us win games in districts,” Hole said.
“That was one of my main goals when I took over this program. We were relevant in the county, bu not beyond that. There are a lot of guys going back over a decade who helped establish that. This is as much for them and former coaches like Mike Mitchell, Steve Murray, and Ed Williamson, who helped mold me into who I am. I’m just thrilled for them, our former players, and our entire community.”
