Uniontown Legion rallies past Carmichaels, 17-7
?HOPWOOD — When Carmichaels took a four-run lead early in Thursday’s Fayette American Legion Baseball League playoff game, it appeared that Uniontown was in trouble.
But the hosts used a five-run fifth inning and an eight-run seventh to eliminate Carmichaels 17-7 in a game that was more competitive than the final score.
Carmichaels (8-10) led 1-0 when Seth Krall, Nick Clarke, and Anthonie Farrar all singled after two outs.
Uniontown (15-4) tied the score in the bottom of the inning when Max Beatty walked, stole second, and scored on Bobby King’s two out single.
The visitors sent nine batters to the plate in the second and took a 5-1 lead. Once again with two outs, Zach Penich, Jordan Dicks, Tyler Bowman, and Krall singled in succession as Dicks and Bowman scored. Krall scored two batters later on a throwing error.
Uniontown scored once in the second when Mason Fordyce doubled and scored on Alex Gabler’s two-out single. The hosts cut the lead to 5-4 in the third when Aaron King singled home Adam Crayton and Fordyce singled to drive in King.
Carmichaels extended the lead to 6-4 when Dicks singled and scored on a two-out throwing error.
But Uniontown sent nine batters to the plate in the fifth as Fordyce’s single drove in Ed Dutkewycz, Jake Riddell singled to drive in Fordyce and Beatty, Gabler doubled in Riddell, and Bobby King singled to score Gabler.
The visitors cut the lead to 9-7 in the sixth on Clarke’s two out single to score Dicks.
Uniontown put the game away with an eight-run seventh as Riddell scored on a throwing error, Tyler Dubovich tripled in Bobby King, Crayton’s bunt single brought Dubovich home, Aaron King singled in Crayton, Fordyce singled in Tyler Mayers, Beatty singled to drive in Aaron King, and Fordyce and Beatty scored on an infield error on a ball hit by Gabler.
Dubovich was the winning pitcher with Fordyce throwing in the sixth and seventh innings.
Uniontown begins a best-of-three series at home tonight against Colonial 3, and coach Scott DeBerry said he plans to start Mayers on the mound.
Of his team’s early deficit, DeBerry said, “Carmichaels was more intense than we were. We knew they were going to come ready to play. My plan was to go to Fordyce (in relief) with hopes of getting four or five innings from Tyler.”
Carmichaels coach Rick Grimm said his team is young, “and this was a learning experience.” He said that Dicks and Clarke have been batting over .400 all season and continued to be the team leaders.