Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette Tri-Town players celebrate winning the District 12 championship after defeating Keystone at Volunteer Stadium. Tri-Town has received a lot of support this summer from the Montgomery, Muncie and Hughesville communities.
As Tri-Town manager Lyle Hagler drives around town, he often hears similar comments from people he’s never met, who come up to him and congratulate him on a recent win or championship.
“Good luck!” They will tell Hagler.
“We’re catching up with the team.” Others will let him know.
Whether he’s in Montgomery, Muncie or Hughesville, Hagler has had similar experiences and is pleased to see the communities rooting for their team all summer.
“I think it’s wonderful” “It’s amazing,” Hagler said of the community’s support.
Dave Kennedy/Sun-Gazette Tri-Town players celebrate after the final out in the bottom of the sixth inning after defeating Keystone to win the District 12 championship at Volunteer Stadium. Tri-Town has received plenty of support from the community over the summer, winning district and sectional tournaments and preparing for the state tournament. Made up of players from Montgomery, Hughesville and Muncie, Tri-Town will face West Point in its state tournament opener Wednesday morning in Newville. This will be the first time a team from the East Lycoming area has made it to the state tournament since Montgomery made it to the state tournament in 1948 and 1949.
Tri-Town is a mix of players from Montgomery, Muncie and Hughesville, three towns that together make up just six major Little League baseball teams with all-star players to choose from.
With only six total teams participating in the regular season, the players and their families all know each other well — they see each other around town, they run into each other at the grocery store — creating a true family atmosphere that was evident in this summer’s Tri-Town All-Star team.
Tri-Town drew a big crowd at Volunteer Stadium when it beat Keystone in the District 12 championship game, and there was a big crowd in Berwick when Tri-Town beat Blue Mountain in the Section 3 tournament to win the title.
Wherever Tri-Town goes, its fans are close behind.
Tri-Town will travel to Newville for the Pennsylvania state tournament starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday to face Section 2 champion West Point of Greensburg.
“It brings all these little communities together, and I think that’s wonderful. I’ll be driving around with my son running errands and strangers will come up to me and say, ‘Wow, I saw you in the paper, I know you so well.’ I think it’s a big thing that brings people together.” Hagler said.
That community has been watching Tri-Town reach new milestones and keep winning — this year it became the first East Lycoming-area team to win the District 12 championship since 1986 — and Thursday brought yet another milestone.
Tri-Town represents the cities of Hughesville, Montgomery and Muncie. Teams from this area have only made it to the state tournament twice since the Pennsylvania State Tournament began in 1948. Both times were in the first two years, and Montgomery made it when the state tournament was comprised primarily of local teams.
Montgomery lost in the state quarterfinals in 1949 and the semifinals in 1948, losing to West Shore in the consolation round that first year. Montgomery players also made it to the state tournament in 2021 as part of the combined Hepburn-Lycoming team.
This year’s team continues to make East Lycoming area history with win after win in tournament after tournament, and with the state tournament about to begin, they’re looking to make even more history.
Win or lose, Hagler and his players enjoy seeing fans come out from Hughesville, Montgomery, Muncie and even outside the Tri-Town to support their team, and hearing them cheer on the field and in the dugout.
“It’s amazing how a simple game like baseball can bring people together off the field.” Hagler said.
indeed.
Jon Gerardi is the Sun-Gazette sports editor. Email comments to jgerardi@sungazette.com. Follow him on Twitter: @JonGerardi.
