MINERSVILLE – It’s a time-honored tradition, one that has been on-going for several decades. Where a one-time great Major League pitcher, the late Russ Rothermel – a former Minersville three-sport athlete – honed his skills.

His memory is perpetual, thanks to his close friend Del Hauck, who initiated the Rothermel Tournament. So it was fitting on Saturday afternoon that host school Minersville found a way to score early and often, subduing Panther Valley 7-0 to gain a spot in the championship round next Saturday.

About the only thing the Battlin’ Miners didn’t see go their way was the flip of the coin toss to hit first.

That turned into the first rally of the game for the eventual winners, as Minersville gushed to a 5-0 lead after four innings, using a two-run rally in the fourth and tagging the Panthers with another two-run outburst in the sixth.

The Miners used timely hitting, led by catch AJ Halford, who drove in three runs and singled once.

Nolan Plesnarski, looked to be in mid-season form, picking up the win on the bump. And he was no slouch at the plate with two hits. But, the highlight was taming the Panthers at the plate, where he recorded six strikeouts and issued just one walk, while scattering six hits.

He gave way to Cam Rogers, who finished off the final two innings to record the save.

“I felt good with my command, and I thought that my curve ball was my best pitch,” said the right-handed pitcher. “When I needed to make a pitch, that’s the one I felt very comfortable throwing.”

Plesnarski’s only struggles were his pitch count through two innings at 43.

“He was really good after those first two innings,” said Minersville skipper Shane Spotts. “We gave him run support and our hits were timely. The thing is, right now it’s early, and we’ve got a good start.”

Minersville opened its first at bats with a run, using a walk to Logan Hutsko, who stole second and eventually came home on the first of Halford’s RBIs, a sacrifice fly to left. Minersville missed a good chance to score more runs in the rally when Plesnarski and Owen Fortna laced back-to-back singles but were stranded, a credit to Panther Valley hurler Brady Jones, who wiggled free of further troubles.

Minersville batters coaxed two walks in the second, setting the table for Hutsko to drive in the game’s second run on a ground out, then rallied for a third run in the next inning. Senior Logan Rizzardi clubbed a two out double for a 3-0 lead, and the Miners rallied for two runs in the top of the fourth. Easton Schultz walked, before nine-hole Cam Rogers executed a perfect hit-and-run single, placing runners at the corners.

Hutsko walked to fill the bases, and Dante Carr beat out an infield roller for a single, which went for an RBI, and Hallford added his second RBI of the game for a 5-0 lead.

Minersville pushed the count to 7-0 with a two-run sixth. Two Panther Valley errors and a Halford single culminated the day’s scoring.

“That’s a good outfit, Minersville’s a veteran team, and they’re going to be a tough out,” said Panther Valley manager Richie Evanko. “We did some nice things, take away those lead-off (base runners) and we’re in the game. We will come around.”

The Panthers had a chance in the first inning to cross the plate when Brody Breiner singled and Logan Fisher stroked the first of his two hits. But Plesnarski got out of the jam.

In the second, the Panthers wasted a lead-off single from Jones, as Plesnarski reared back and recorded two strikeouts. And in the fourth, Fisher and Danny Wehr opened with singles, but Plesnarski answered with three-straight strikeouts.

It also helped that the Miners’ defense was rising. It turned a gem of a double play in the seventh inning. Panther Valley put its first two runners on base, as a walk to Gavin Yuricheck and Cameron Caffery single seemed to brew up a storm. But Minersville turned a snappy double play, when shortstop Garrett Sukeena stopped a grounder to his left, tossed to second baseman Schultz who flipped to first.

“Wow, what a play that was,” Spotts proclaimed. “It’s so hard to do that on the high school level.”

As a result, Minersville gets a chance to win the annual tournament named for Russ Rothermel come nest Saturday on Del Hauck Baseball Field.

WILL BE BETTER ... Once the Panthers get a few games under their belts they will be just fine. The Miners are a veteran team top to bottom, and this was the first game of the season for Panther Valley.

STRONG SUIT ... Panther Valley has a pair of solid pitchers in Wehr and Fisher. Breiner will give the staff and solid reliever and a third option as the season goes forward.

STICKS ARE THERE ... Panther Valley had seven hits on the day, two from Fisher. Adding singles were Breiner, Wehr, Jones, Caffery and Penberth.

CONSOLATION ... PV plays Shenandoah Valley next Saturday at 12 p.m. The Blue Devils lost to Tri-Valley in the nightcap Saturday. Minersville will take on Tri-Valley in the championship game at 3 p.m.

Minersville 111 202 0 – 7 8 2

Panther Valley 000 000 0 – 0 7 2

Plesnarski, Rogers (6) and Halford; Jones, Wehr, Caffery, Breiner and Baneravage. W – Plesnarski L – Jones.

Records: Minersville (2-0); Panther Valley (0-1)