By MICHAEL STONER for Tyrone Daily Herald

Sports Writer

The Tyrone Golden Eagles began their 2023 campaign Monday afternoon when they traveled to Bald Eagle in a battle of the Eagles. This game turned over a new leaf in Tyrone baseball as most of the core from the 2021 State Championship team is gone, leaving only two starters from that team still in Tyrone uniforms.

Monday’s game showed early-season rust for both teams with the pitchers dominating the lineups for most of the game. After 12 innings with both teams still knotted at 5 the game was postponed and will be resumed later in the season when Bald Eagle travels to Tyrone for their second matchup of the season.

The Tyrone offense was led by the young players looking to make their names as the next stars of Tyrone baseball. Freshman third basemen Brandon McClure and AJ Coleman who combined for half of Tyrone’s 12 hits on the day.

Tyrone found themselves down early after starter AJ Coleman gave up a pair of walks and allowed a runner to score later in the inning leaving Tyrone trailing 1-0 after the first inning. Bald Eagle would add two more runs in the bottom of the third inning extending Bald Eagles’ lead to 3-0 going into the 4th inning.

After being held quiet for the first four innings of the game Tyrone’s offense came alive in the 5th scoring 3 runs of their own tying up the game. Tyrone’s Caiden Bonsell got the inning started for Tyrone after legging out an infield single to shortstop. After walks by McClure and Ryan Light, Tyrone got on the board when Ashton Walk beat out a fielder’s choice to shortstop, scoring Bonsell and Light after Bald Eagles shortstop sailed the throw out of play allowing Light to score as well.

Tyrone would tie the game with the next batter when Coleman recorded his second hit of the night lining a base hit into right field allowing Walk to score from second knotting the game up at 3.

After the fifth inning, the game went into a full pitchers duel with Ross Gampe taking over for Coleman on the mound and putting a lock on the Bald Eagle bats. Gampe would command the mound for 7 innings leaving the game the same way as when he entered tied at 3 after nine innings.

Once Gampe’s night on the mound came to an end Caiden Bonsell took the mound for his first appearance back from Tommy John surgery he had in the middle of last season. Bonsell showed no rust as he only allowed one hit over the two innings he pitched while striking out two batters.

The game would remain 3-3 until the top of the 12th inning when seniors Ross Gampe and Zac Legars delivered back-to-back RBI singles giving Tyrone a 5-3 lead. Gampe and Legars are the only two players left that played on that 21 State Championship team and it was only a matter of time before they made their presence felt in the game.

In the bottom of the 12th Bald Eagle responded with two runs of their own tying the game at 5. After the conclusion of the 12th inning, the game was called due to visibility reasons and will be resumed later this season during the team’s next matchup.

Tyrone will be back in action Thursday afternoon for their home opener when they welcome the Bellefonte Red Raiders to Tyrone as they look for their first victory of the season.