In a game featuring timely hitting and great pitching and defense, Manheim Central rallied for a 2-1 victory in the District Three Class 5A baseball consolation semifinal against South Western last Monday in Manheim.

Barons' ace pitcher Colton Book pitched extremely well. The senior struck out 11 batters and walked none, yielding just four hits in the game.

Two of those hits came fifth inning, when the Mustangs produced a run via a single, a stolen base and a sharply hit infield single deep in the hole between short and third. Like the Barons have done all season, they responded to being behind by scoring two runs in the bottom of the inning. With one out, Dylan Yoder and Collin Thompson both walked, and like Manheim (22-2) has done all season, the Barons made the Mustangs pay for yielding free passes. Designated hitter Malakai Zilinski hit a bases clearing triple with a blast into the gap in left-center field. Cather Mason Weaver had Manheim's only other hit, a single.

Manheim was in the district's consolation bracket, playing for a spot in the state playoffs, after Muhlenburg's free-swinging team put the ball in play and pitched well enough to keep Manheim Central off balance in a 13-3 sixth-inning victory over the top-seeded Barons in Manheim on May 27 in the district quarterfinals.

Barons' coach Jason Thompson said Muhlenburg outplayed them in every aspect of the game.

"Anything we could do wrong, we did," Thompson said. "Hopefully, it's a wake- up call because we're still playing."

In the third inning, the Barons' Cam Eberly drew a two-out walk and Brady Harbach singled. Book capitalized with a two-run double to left-center.

Manheim got its other run in the fifth when Mason Weaver singled and Drew Mylin was safe on an error on a potential double play. Eberly walked to load the bases and Book hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

TRACK

Manheim Central sophomore Madison Knier finished tied for 10th and 12th in the high jump and javelin, respectively at the PIAA Class 3A meet at Shippensburg University on May 29.

Her teammate, Malea Stoner, a junior, placed 15th in the 300 hurdles.

VOLLEYBALL

The Barons held off District Two champion Holy Redeemer for a 3-2 victory at Solomon Plains Jr. High in Wilkes-Barre last Monday night in the first round of the Class 2A state playoffs.

After taking the first two games 25-17 and a wild one, 29-27, Central lost the next two sets, 24-26 and 21-25, setting up the fifth and final game. The Barons got refocused and pulled away with a 15-9 triumph, putting Manheim in the state quarterfinals.

Senior Jeremiah Zimmerman and Blake Wagner had a strong match for Manheim. Zimmerman, a setter, dealt out 37 assists for Central (13-6), while Wagner, an outside hitter, had 22 kills and two blocks.

The Barons, the defending District Three Class 2A champions, lost to Garden Spot Thursday, May 27 in New Holland in the district's third place contest. The Spartans won 3-0 on game scores of 25-18, 27-25 and 25-22. It was the third time Garden Spot has beaten Manheim this season.

The Spartans first victory over the Barons snapped Central's 40-game Lancaster-Lebanon League Section Two winning streak, which stretched back more than three years.

Zimmerman dished out 23 assists and notched two serving aces and Wagner added 15 kills.