Uniontown Legion defeats Waynesburg
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg second baseman Brayden Mort flips the ball from his glove to first base in time to record the out on Uniontown’s Ty Sankovich in the bottom of the fourth inning of Wednesday’s Fayette County American Legion Baseball League game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg stands along the first base line as the American Legion baseball pledge is recited by Uniontown’s Ty Sankovich before Wednesday’s game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg starting pitcher Hudson Boris strides to the plate before delivering the ball in the first inning of Wednesday’s Fayette County American Legion Baseball League game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Waynesburg’s Brayden Mort slides across the plate as Uniontown catcher Kaleb Scott looks for the ball in the top of the third inning of Wednesday’s Fayette County American Legion Baseball League game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Ty Sankovich safely slides back into the bag as Waynesburg first baseman Ross Jones waits for Hudson Boris’ pick-off throw during the second inning of Wednesday’s Fayette County American Legion Baseball League game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Cole Shearer safely slides into second base for a steal as Waynesburg shortstop Mason Switalski waits for the ball in the bottom of the fourth inning of Wednesday’s Fayette County American Legion Baseball League game at Hutchinson Field.
HOPWOOD — The Uniontown Legion team got off to a delayed start due to Laurel Highlands’ playoff run, but moved into the season in full stride on June 9 with a 12-2 victory over visiting Waynesburg at Hutchinson Field.
The home team pounded out 13 hits in the game called in the bottom of the fifth inning due to the mercy rule.
“It’s good to be doing this again,” said Uniontown manager Brad Yohman, referring to the cancellation of the 2020 season because of the pandemic. “The first day, offensively, I couldn’t ask for much more.
“We picked up where we left off in 2019.”
“They hit the ball a ton,” said Waynesburg manager Jamie Moore, whose team slipped to 0-4. “We definitely got out-hit.”
The Fayette County American Legion Baseball League has a different look this summer with Farmington, Connellsville, Colonial 3 and Carmichaels not fielding teams.
Smithfield-Fairchance and Belle Vernon return, Charleroi is back and Allegheny South teams Baldwin, Bethel Park, Elizabeth Forward and South Allegheny were added for a nine-team league.
“I’m really excited to have those teams come in with us,” said Yohman.
Uniontown’s roster was bolstered by former Connellsville players Brant Bonadio and Cole Shearer in its season opener with Bonadio driving in two runs and Shearer finishing with an RBI. Connellsville’s Beau Bigam and Gage Gillott, plus Farmington’s Wyatt Nehls, are also available on the roster.
“We’re trying to develop that chemistry with the LH kids, the older guys that came back. We have the three players from Connellsville and a player from Uniontown,” said Yohman. “There’s continuity in the program. That’s good.”
The home team wasted little time by scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning.
Santino Marra walked to open the inning and moved to second on a wild pitch. Marra hustled home on Ty Sankovich’s sharp single up the middle.
Bonadio’s double with one out brought Sankovich home. Bonadio moved to third on a wild pitch. Tyler Becker walked and stole second.
Kaleb Scott popped out to third base, but Braeden O’Brien’s chopper ticked off Logan Higgins’ glove for an infield single and RBI. Becker scored on a wild pitch.
Uniontown’s advantage increased to 3-0 in the second inning on Sankovich’s RBI single.
Waynesburg’s bats came alive in the top of the third inning.
Braeden Mort opened with a sharp single down the third base line. Ben Chruback’s single to center field was misplayed into a run-scoring error. Losing pitcher Hudson Boris came through with a two-out, run-scoring single.
However, Boris was picked off second to end the inning.
O’Brien buckled down in the final two innings, allowing just one batter to reach base on a walk. He recorded five strikeouts of the final six outs, including the side in the fifth inning.
“(Braeden) was the story of the game. He didn’t pitch much (in the high school season). What he did tonight, he battled the heat. For a young guy, he showed a lot of poise,” praised Yohman.
Uniontown scored a single run on O’Brien’s sacrifice fly in the third inning.
Boris was taken out in the bottom of the fourth inning after allowing three consecutive singles after one out. All three eventually scored, with the help of an outfield error, to extend Uniontown’s lead to 9-2.
Sankovich, Shearer and Kaleb Scott all had run-scoring singles in the inning.
“I thought Waynesburg’s pitcher (Boris) threw the ball real well and out kids squared up real well,” said Yohman.
Uniontown invoked the mercy rule with three runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Braeden McKnight singled off relief pitcher Ross Jones to start the inning. He stole second and scored on CJ Gesk’s double. Gesk stole third and came home on Sankovich’s one-out single.
Sankovich moved to second on a wild pitch and went to third on Shearer’s single. Bonadio’s sacrifice fly scored Sankovich with the mercy rule run.
Moore said his pitchers need to be more successful.
“We need to do better on the mound. We’re giving up too many runs,” said Moore. “We don’t have a lot of shutdown pitching.
“We have 17 on the roster, but some play travel ball and other commitments. We usually have 10, 12 kids per game.”