DANVILLE — Little League’s pitch count rule is meant to save young arms from too much stress. It does little to ease the pain of a loss, though. Warrior Run hurler Jesse Bixler pitched about as good a game as you could ask for Monday at Danville against Bloomsburg, but he fell a few pitches shy of a complete game due to the pitch count rule allowing Bloomsburg to push across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-2 win. Warrior Run falls into the elimination bracket where it will face Berwick at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Bloomsburg moves on and will face Berwick on Wednesday. Bixler was outstanding through 6 and 2/3 innings of work, allowing just one earned run on five hits while fanning seven. Little League’s pitch count forced the righty off the mound with the game-tying run at third and two down, though. “He’s a solid pitcher,” said Warrior Run coach Andy Waltman. “He’s just a good all-around ballplayer. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.” Working ahead in the count for much of the evening, Bixler had two sub-10 pitch-count innings and aside from a 26-pitch first inning, never threw more than 16 in an inning. “He has great control,” said Waltman. “Pitching and defense definitely control the game. We just fell short.” Warrior Run jumped up 1-0 in the top of the second. Catcher Doug Bird drew a lead-off walk, then moved up when Brad Hain drew a free pass of his own. Curt Hendershot then laced a two-out single to righ ...
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DANVILLE — Little League’s pitch count rule is meant to save young arms from too much stress. It does little to ease the pain of a loss, though. Warrior Run hurler Jesse Bixler pitched about as good a game as you could ask for Monday at Danville against Bloomsburg, but he fell a few pitches shy of a complete game due to the pitch count rule allowing Bloomsburg to push across the winning run in the bottom of the seventh for the 3-2 win. Warrior Run falls into the elimination bracket where it will face Berwick at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Bloomsburg moves on and will face Berwick on Wednesday. Bixler was outstanding through 6 and 2/3 innings of work, allowing just one earned run on five hits while fanning seven. Little League’s pitch count forced the righty off the mound with the game-tying run at third and two down, though. “He’s a solid pitcher,” said Warrior Run coach Andy Waltman. “He’s just a good all-around ballplayer. He’s got a good head on his shoulders.” Working ahead in the count for much of the evening, Bixler had two sub-10 pitch-count innings and aside from a 26-pitch first inning, never threw more than 16 in an inning. “He has great control,” said Waltman. “Pitching and defense definitely control the game. We just fell short.” Warrior Run jumped up 1-0 in the top of the second. Catcher Doug Bird drew a lead-off walk, then moved up when Brad Hain drew a free pass of his own. Curt Hendershot then laced a two-out single to righ ...