DRUMS – After dismantling Greater Pittston on Monday, the Bellefonte 8-10 minor baseball team looked to continue its surge to start the state tournament against Mount Pleasant in winner’s semis.

On Tuesday afternoon in Drums, it managed to do just that. Back-to-back explosive innings of offense led to a dominant victory that spanned just four innings, as Bellefonte defeated Mount Pleasant, 13-3, to improve to 2-0 through states.

The win pits the team against the victor of the tournament’s adjacent winner’s semifinal, either Lehigh or Upper Providence. Whichever team wins there advances to Saturday’s championship final, with a chance to take home a title with a victory there.

Offensively, Bellefonte never went an inning without obtaining a run, slowly breaking through Mount Pleasant’s defenses initially before fully taking over in the third. There, the team netted five runs before adding another six in the fourth to put itself in position to win.

The team logged one run in both the first and second innings.

The third-inning barrage began with a sequence of five straight on-base appearances, including four hits. The latter three (single, walk single) netted the team three runs. And though Mount Pleasant managed to pick up two outs from there, a defensive error allowed Bellefonte to put up two more to up its lead to 7-1.

Mount Pleasant would respond with a two-RBI, two-out single to give the team some momentum, but Bellefonte continued to pour it on. A one-RBI single, two-RBI double and base-clearing double were the highlights of Bellefonte’s eruptive fourth, one which saw the team attribute seven hits.

Five Bellefonte batters finished with multiple hits, including the entire top of its order. Two logged three RBIs and nine secured at least one hit, as the team combined for 13 runs on 14 hits.

Defensively, things briefly got shaky in the third, as Mount Pleasant loaded the bases one out, then did so again after posting a two-RBI, two-out single. But a clutch groundout prevented them for doing further damage. And when Mount Pleasant looked to extend the game in the fourth, it was met with three straight strikeouts to abruptly end those prospects.

Bellefonte’s pitchers combined for seven strikeouts to just one walk, scattering seven hits through four innings while allowing just two earned runs.

After scraping its way through sectionals, the team has come out dominant to start its state tournament run. Through two games, it’s outscored its opponents 21-3, obtaining 23 hits while allowing nine and bouncing back well after the occasional error.

Thursday’s state winner’s final game is set for 7 p.m. in Drums.

8-10 BASEBALL STATE WINNER’S SEMIS

Bellefonte 13, Mount

Pleasant 3, 4 innings

Bellefonte 115 6 – 13 14 3

M. Pleas. 012 0 – 3 7 3

Kobie U., Thomas T. (3) and Tanner C. and Caroline A. Jack U., J.R. B (2), Mario M. (3) and Tommy B. W – Kobie U. L – J.R. B.

Top Bellefonte hitters: Kobie U. 2-3, 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Rylan S. 2-3, 3B, 2 runs; Thomas T. 2-2, RBI, 2 runs; Bryson T. 2-2, 2B, 2 runs; Caroline A. 2-3, run; Crew C. 1-3, 2B, 2 RBIs, run. Top Mount Pleasant hitters: Jack U. 2-2, 2B, run; Colton P. 1-2, 2 RBIs; Nico B. 2-2; Mario M. 1-2, run.