Forest Hills claims Boswell Area Jaycees Baseball Classic title over North Star
FERRELLTON -- North Star's Andy Retassie ripped the first pitch of the 28th Boswell Area Jaycees High School Baseball Classic championship game off Forest Hills sophomore southpaw Chase Williamson for a single.
The Cougars would not record a second hit.
Willamson mowed down seven, walked two and recorded 11 straight outs from the first to the fifth, as the Rangers rolled to their fourth straight crown with a 13-1 victory in five innings.
"It's been a real special year so far. This tournament is always part of our special year," Forest Hills coach Joe Carpenter said. "It's a pleasure to be here with these guys."
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Retassie scored on a fielder's choice to give North Star a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but the Cougars struggled thereafter.
Forest Hills took the lead for good on an RBI double by Williamson and an RBI single by Nate Cornell in the bottom of the frame.
Brody Roberts singled home a run, and Devin Kreger plated two with a single in the second to give the Rangers a 5-1 advantage.
Willamson struck out the side in the second and retired the Cougars in order in the third.
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Forest Hills (12-1) broke things open in the third, forcing two North Star pitching changes. The Rangers sent 14 batters to the plate, tallying eight runs to take a commanding 13-1 lead. Brody Roberts and Bryce Roberts each hit 2-run singles, and Kaden Christ added an RBI single.
Williamson recorded two more strikeouts in both the fourth and fifth to put the cherry on top of an exceptional day on the hill. He was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, Most Outstanding Pitcher and Player of the Game in its victory over Meyersdale.
"This tournament means a lot for coach (Ken) Ashbrook," Williamson said. "He grew up in North Star. I really wanted to go out and do it for him."
Forest Hills clobbered Meyersdale 17-2 in Game 2 of the tournament, before notching its sixth Jaycees crown since the tournament's inception.
"These kids ... they are a special group," Carpenter said of his team. "We said, 'Appreciate what you have. Savoir it, because it doesn't always happen.'"
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North Star dropped a heartbreaker to Forest Hills a year ago in the title game. This year was not the same.
"First and foremost, they're a great team. They've been doing this to every team out there, so credit to them," North Star coach Jake Klukaszewski of Forest Hills. The way the schedule fell this week for us, honestly, we were just playing for that win against United."
The Cougars (7-4) took care of the Lions 9-2 in the tournament opener.
North Star played in the District 5 Class 2A title game last year, falling to eventual PIAA champion, Everett. Klukaszewski is hoping his team can respond from this loss, have a successful second half of the season and make another postseason run.
"Obviously, we want to win every single game," he said. "We got to stay hungry. We've dealt with various injuries this year, so we're just trying to have that next man up mentality, and just honestly, be a hungry team out there, doing things the right way in the weight room, in the classroom and on the field. That's really what our focus is."
Adam Ripple is the Daily American sports editor. He can be reached at 814-444-5926. Follow him on Twitter @ARipple_DAsport. Follow Daily American Sports on Facebook and @dailyamericanmedia on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Forest Hills reigns supreme in Boswell Area Jaycees Baseball Classic
