Apr 1, 2018 By Jonathan Guth jguth@heraldstandard.Com 5 min read

Uniontown’s baseball team looks good on paper, but sixth year head coach Ken Musko knows that games are not won on potential or expectations.

“We are looking for a great year and a return to the playoffs, but you have to make the plays,” Musko said. “We have a lot of arms and a great group. We just need to put it all together. We made too many mistakes last year and we can’t have that blow-up inning.”

The Red Raiders compete in Section 3-AAAA with local teams Belle Vernon, Elizabeth Forward and Ringgold. McGuffey, Keystone Oaks, South Park and West Mifflin make up the rest of the section.

Uniontown has 12 seniors and seven pitchers that have the ability to shut opponents down.

Connor DeMoss, who recently signed with Mercyhurst University, is a right-handed pitcher that throws hard.

“He is definitely our hardest thrower, but we have a lot of good pitchers,” Musko said. “I am glad that he is going to play at a quality program like Mercyhurst. He has been working and we are hoping he can hit the low 90s.”

Fellow senior Alan VanSickle gives the Red Raiders the coveted left-handed pitcher. VanSickle gained plenty of experience in the summer playoff for Farmington Legion and Mill Run in the Fayette County Baseball League.

Senior Jeremy Saliba (RHP) has thrown for two years and played at Farmington Legion.

Seniors Brandon Swaney (RHP), Nik Gibson (RHP) and Tyler Frey (LHP) will also be in the mix on the mound. Gibson will primarily serve as the Red Raiders’ catcher.

Junior Wyatt Lepley will also see time on the mound.

“I have a lot of trust in all of them,” Musko said. “We have many options to choose from. We still have to take it one game at a time.”

Seniors Trent Uphold (CF) and Kaine Frye (LF) add speed to the top Uniontown’s lineup. Frye made All-Section last year.

Junior Owen Martin is penciled in at right field.

Seniors Brandon Bell and Steven Edenfield are capable of playing a variety of positions from in right field, first base and designated hitter.

Senior Silvio Urani is suffering from an upper-body injury, but could see time at shortstop. Fellow senior Cole Waligura could help out in the infield. Swaney (3B) and Lepley (2B) will play in the field when not pitching.

“I have a great group of kids,” Musko said.

Uniontown returns to Hutchinson Field for its home games. Musko is working with South Union Township on the possibility of rolling the infield to flatten it out more.

The Red Raiders are scattered when it comes to Legion baseball, as their players have played at Colonial 3 or Farmington, while other teams in the area play for just one Legion team. Players from Uniontown in high school now have the opportunity to play for Farmington. There are also talks of moving the Farmington team to a more centralized location.

The Leopards were 12-2 in section play last season to finish just behind champion South Park, who went on to play in the state championship game. Belle Vernon was edged, 3-2, by Quaker Valley in the first round of the playoffs.

Head coach Daryl Hixenbaugh lost 11 seniors to graduation last season, but welcomes back six seniors on a roster of 17.

The Loepards’ six seniors are Jake Rathway (2B/P), Chris McCullough (3B/1B/C), Jordan Hartman (1B/3B/P), Trevor Schrock (OF/P), Logan Petrosky (1B/C) and Joe Sabolek (1B/P).

Juniors Josh Hoffman (SS/P), Max Gauden (OF/P), Cole Naylor (C/INF/P) and Erik Peitrantoni (3B/1B/P) can all play in the field, bat and pitch when needed.

Nick Stranger and and Dylan Bradley are two arms that Hixenbaugh could use.

The Rams qualified for the playoffs with a 9-5 section record and finished 13-6 overall last season. Ringgold won its first playoff game over Freeport, 7-0, before losing, 12-0, to eventual WPIAL Champions Blackhawk in the quarterfinals.

Ringgold’s senior starting pitcher Ryan Varley returns. He will play either third base or shortstop when not pitching. Fellow senior Bo Haines is back in centerfield, and is one of the Rams’ better hitters.

Jake Rongaus (2B), Anthony Vavasori (2B), Luke Winterbottom (LF), Jake Mayer (RF) and Luke Greaves (UTL) make up the rest of the seniors for head coach Don Roberts.

Juniors Josh Peters, Jake Mullen, Chase Agnotti and Nick Kolano should also see time on the mound.

Junior Anthony Romasco is tentatively scheduled to play in left field. Classmate Koby Bubash will see time at shortstop.

The Warriors are led by head coach Frank Champ, and have a 2-1 record this season after playing three non-section games.

Ryan Antkowiak, Beau Morgan, David Smith, Jacob Schmidt and Jacob Prah round up Elizabeth Forward’s pitching rotation.

Nick Wardropper, Nate Homa, Evan Lewis, Chase Vaughn, Antowiak and Prah are some of the Warriors’ key hitters.

EF 5-9 in section play and 6-13 overall last season.