Tyler Minick-Gov. Mifflin

Star players are expected to come through on the big stage and that’s exactly what Tyler Minick did in the BCIAA semifinals at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Gov. Mifflin senior shortstop went 3-for-3 with two homers and four runs in a 9-7 victory over fifth-seeded Fleetwood. If that wasn’t enough, Minick struck out two in a hitless 7th inning for the save. The UConn commit and 2022 Berks County Player of the Year was throwing 92-94 mph. “There’s nothing more you want then to come in and close a game down like that,” said Minick. The top-seeded Mustangs put up three runs on four hits and two walks in the first frame. Bryce Detwiler ripped a RBI double to right-center and Darien Troche followed with a 2-run single. The (13-8) Tigers battled back all afternoon long. “Full props to them. I thought they were gonna roll over after that 3-spot, but they didn’t. They were scrappy the whole game,” Minick acknowledged. Fleetwood scored twice in the 2nd including a RBI single by Travis Loy. Liam Hilburt and Loy had two hits apiece and each scored a run. Minick’s first home run of the day came in the bottom of the 2nd. It was a solo shot down the left field line. The Tigers responded with two runs in the 3rd to pull within 5-4. Jake Karnish drilled a RBI triple down the right field line. Minick answered in the bottom half with a 375-foot bomb to left-center, his 7th HR of the season. Bloomsburg commit Xander Velez added a RBI double to put Gov. Mifflin in front 7-4. Carson Brey’s infield single knocked in Loy who had tripled in the 4th. The (17-4) Mustangs extended their advantage to 9-5 with two unearned runs in the 5th after a throwing error by Karnish at shortstop. Fleetwood, however, wouldn’t go away. Karnish drew a bases loaded walk in the 6th. An infield single by Ryan Moser made it 9-7. Matt Novotny got Aiden Soumas to pop up to second to end the threat with the bases loaded. Each team left seven runners on base. Gov. Mifflin racked up a dozen hits. “One through nine we all put up scrappy at-bats and everybody knows their role,” emphasized Minick. Sophomores Travis Jenkins and Detwiler had three hits apiece. Detwiler scored three runs and picked up the win, despite allowing five runs on seven hits in four innings. Zach Dilbeck lasted just one frame for the Tigers. Sam Reimert and Nick Noll pitched two-thirds of an inning. They gave up three runs on four hits. Moser was charged with three runs, one earned, over 3.2 innings. The Mustangs will meet #2 seed Wilson for the county title on Monday at 6:05pm at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bulldogs swept the two regular season meetings against Gov. Mifflin. “That’s the matchup we wanted,” stated Minick.