The Pymatuning Valley baseball team pulled off one of the more dramatic finishes of the season Monday evening, rallying from a 5-1 deficit heading into the seventh inning to stun Grand Valley 6-5 on the road in a game that looked all but over before the Lakers rewrote the ending. It was not just a comeback win — it was a statement victory in a rivalry game, one that carries significant weight in the conference standings.
Playing at the Home of the Scrapper, Eastwood Field in Niles, PV had managed just a single run through the first six innings against Grand Valley starter Payton Plizga, who was sharp all night — five innings, three hits, one earned run, and five strikeouts. But when Plizga gave way to the bullpen in the final frames, the door cracked open and PV kicked it off the hinges.
Andrew Wludyga was the story of the night from the leadoff spot, going 3-for-4 and setting the table all evening. In the seventh, the Lakers strung together a sequence that Grand Valley could not contain. Bryce Brown delivered a two-run double to left field, scoring two runs and cutting the deficit to 5-3. Wludyga then singled to center to keep the inning alive before a balk allowed another run to score, making it 5-4. Colton Legg followed with an RBI single, and with the bases loaded, Justin Britton was intentionally walked to force in the go-ahead run, completing the stunning five-run comeback and sending PV home with a 6-5 victory.
On the mound, Justin Britton started and went five solid innings before giving way to Wludyga, who closed things out with two scoreless frames, allowing just one hit while striking out three to earn the win.
It was the kind of game that builds character — and momentum heading into a big week for the Lakers.