Jun 9, 2010 By Paul S. Brittain for The 3 min read

HOPWOOD – Gio Schiano’s two-run home run was “the backbreaker” in the words of coach Ron Popovich, as Uniontown Legion scored six runs in the seventh inning to defeat Farmington 9-3 in the first game of a doubleheader on Tuesday. Schiano’s homer was the fifth of six consecutive Uniontown hits that helped the hosts pull away from a 3-3 tie.

Lucas Mosco, Dylan Clifford, Evan Arison and Max Beatty preceded Schiano’s round-tripper with singles as the hosts led 6-3. Schiano’s blast against relief pitcher Mike Payton also drove in Beatty. Tyler Halfhill followed with a double and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Carmen Congelio.

The big inning helped pitcher Nate Workman to his second win in three appearances on a five-hit performance. “Nate is a young kid who has come out pretty steady for us,” Popovich said.

“Gio is one of our better players,” Popovich added. “He’s been on vacation. We’ve had a slow start with kids absent a lot.”

Workman gave up three of the five hits and two runs after two outs in the first inning. Cody Jackson singled, and Frank Duritsky and Ethan Clipp followed with doubles for a 2-0 Farmington lead.

Uniontown (3-2) cut the lead in half in the bottom of the first when Evan Arison led off with a walk, stole second and scored on a single by Mason Fordyce.

The hosts tied the score in the second when Lucas Mosco doubled and scored two batters later on a single by Arison.

Uniontown took the lead on an unearned run in the third as Fordyce reached second when his outfield fly was dropped. He scored on an infield error on a ball hit by Jake Riddell.

Workman retired nine straight batters from the final out of the first inning into the fourth. But in the fifth, Farmington tied the score when Mike Haines walked and scored on pitcher Blaine Shrum’s double. The visitors almost took the lead on a wild pitch, but Anthony Sparks was thrown out at the plate from catcher Mosco to Workman.

Farmington coach Lloyd Jackson disputed the call at home plate, and later questioned it along with two safe calls on stolen bases by Uniontown.

“We had a couple errors and bad calls at second base and at home,” Jackson said. “All in all, it was a pretty good game, and Shrum did a good job” of pitching.

Popovich said the sixth inning outburst, “was a nice way to finish up. The game was well-played by both teams.”

Kevin Mitrisin had two homers and Schiano homered and was the winning pitcher in Uniontown’s 17-8 win in the nightcap.