American Legion baseball
Brownsville turns up heat against Masontown REPUBLIC – It was a hot time in the old town Saturday, and Brownsville generated even a little more heat on the basepaths.
Brownsville scored three runs in the last of the fifth, which turned out to be the final edge in a 9-6 County Baseball League win over visiting Masontown on a broiling afternoon at the Republic Field.
Ed Sumego (2-1) went the distance for Brownsville, allowing 10 hits, including three singles by manager Clint Zvolenski, two doubles by Andy Patrick two singles by Joel Yednock.
Zvolenski noted, “Our loss wasn’t for a lack of effort; it was just a bad day at the plate when we needed the hits. We did hit the ball, but they made the plays. On the other hand, we had a letdown defensively and they took advantage of it.”
Brownsville manager Dan Kupets called the win “a big one in a couple of respects. One, it’s nice to get a win any time, but two, we had been on a skid, losing six of our last seven games, and it sure felt good today to be on the long end of the score. We got some hits and that made it easier for Eddie. But how do you figure this, they are coming off a big win over Bud Murphy’s, beating them for the second time, and today we beat Masontown for the second time.”
Brownsville had 11 hits off two pitchers, led by Jim Cales with three, and three RBI. Kupets and Jim Ducar had two, and Dave Brumley had a double in his farewell game.
He will be moving to Cleveland, Ohio, in his work, although there is the slim chance that he might be available on some weekends.
Brownsville led 2-0 in the first on singles by Ducar and Cales, around an error and Kevin Dvorchak’s fly ball.
Masontown got one in the second when Jim Kubina was safe on an error, stole third and scored as Chad Shaneyfelt grounded out. It was 2-2 in the third after Brad Baker singled, went to third on an errant pickoff try and scored on Craig Zvolenski’s groundout.
Brownsville went ahead for good with three in the third on singles by Ducar, Dvorchak and Cales, around a walk to Dvorchak.
It was 6-2 in the fourth after Brumley doubled and scored on an error. Three more runs crossed in the fifth on singles by Kupets and Jason Campbell, around two errors and a passed ball.
Masontown added three in the sixth. Patrick hit a leadoff double, and with two out, Clint Zvolenski and Brent Baker singled, coupled with an error. Yednock and Patrick doubled, adding the final run in the seventh.
Both teams stand 6-7 with Kupets noting, “After first place, everybody is closely bunched.”
Both teams play again Monday. Masontown hosts Connellsville, and Brownsville visits first-place Carmichaels.