Uniontown Legion set to host Region 6 tournament
The last time Uniontown hosted the Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament back in 2018, it advanced to the state tournament in Boyertown.
The host team hopes to repeat that performance when the tournament begins Friday afternoon at Hutchinson Field, but six other teams will also be seeking that lone state berth.
Three teams each from Fayette and Beaver counties, along with Bushy Run from Region 7, comprise the seven-team field.
The double-elimination tournament begins when Smithfield-Fairchance plays Center Monaca at noon. Charleroi faces Hopewell at 3 p.m., and Bushy Run plays Brighton Twp. in the nightcap at 6 p.m.
Uniontown, who received a bye in the tournament, faces the Smithfield-Fairchance-Center Monaca winner Saturday at 6 p.m. The winners of the Hopewell-Charleroi and Bushy Run-Brighton Twp. play at 3 p.m.
The first losers’ bracket game will also be Saturday, with the loser of the Hopewell-Charleroi and Bushy Run-Brighton Twp. games playing at noon.
The tournament continues on Sunday with games at noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m. Monday’s games are 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. with the title game Tuesday at 4 p.m.
The schedule could be altered with rain forecasted on every day of the tournament.
Cost for adults is $5 per day and $3 for students. A tournament pass can be purchased for $20.
“There will be tournament shirts on sale. We’ll have 50-50 drawings and full concession stand,” said Uniontown manager Brad Yohman.
The tournament was originally set as an eight-team field, five from Fayette County and three from Beaver County, but was pared down due to teams not being able to confirm the ability to field teams over the five days of play.
“Teams dropped out because they couldn’t get enough players for the weekend,” said Region 6 Tournament Director Ron Popovich. “The league is not as strong because of COVID.
“I think the numbers were down throughout the state.”
One of those teams unable to field a squad was Baldwin, an addition to the local county league after Allegheny County was unable to gather enough teams. Baldwin finished tied for second place, but was not able to have enough players available.
None of the three county teams has issues with numbers, but pitching numbers, faced with pitch restrictions, will be tested with a five-day, double-elimination tournament.
Smithfield-Fairchance manager Steve Strange believes his squad has the pitching to maneuver through the tournament.
“We have a strategy on how we are going to use our pitchers. We have the pitching to win this tournament,” said Strange. “Winning all the games is the easiest strategy.
“You plan like you are going to play Tuesday (in the championship game). We want to keep our starter on Friday to 80 pitches or less, and then we can bring him back on Tuesday.”
Putting together some offense and getting through games efficiently is also key.
“We have enough hitting on this team. Our lineup is pretty spread out,” said Strange, whose team finished tied with Baldwin for second place at 7-5. “It’s extraordinarily important to win early. You build momentum. We did that in 2018.”
Strange and his staff shouldn’t be standing in the dugout hoping nine players will show up, either.
“We started with 18 players and still have 16 on the team. I’m pretty proud of that,” added Strange.
Charleroi made a second-half run to finish 6-6 and earn a berth into the region tournament after returning to league play this summer.
“If we have everyone here, we should be okay,” said Charleroi manager Luke Mollis. “Our depth in pitching is our strongest thing.”
Mollis is glad to be fielding a Legion baseball team again.
“I was frustrated a little bit over the last two years. You think you have enough kids and then you don’t. I felt a little embarrassed,” said Mollis, whose youthful roster is bolstered with Ringgold High School players. “Now, we have a decent shot to get things going over the next two, three years.”
Uniontown won the regular season title with an 11-1 mark.
Yohman, too, admitted the importance of having a pitching staff on the ready is key to winning the tournament.
“It’s always a pitchers’ tournament. Pitch counts now challenge everyone’s rosters,” explained Yohman. “Teams that are able to manage pitch counts have an advantage.
“Depth of arms is critical in this tournament.”
Yohman also said the ability to put together offense is another help in managing pitching.
“You have to get runs early. You can save 30, 40 pitches in two innings. If you can get runs in bunches early, that really helps you,” said Yohman.
Yohman is also president of the Fayette County league.
“This has been the most challenging season, especially in my shoes as the president of the league,” said Yohman. “The COVID shutdown last summer opened doors for other options and it showed. There were other options to fill the vacuum. Legion baseball lost with the shutdown.
“Traditional programs (Colonial 3, Connellsville, Farmington) were not in the league. It’s nice Charleroi is back in the league. That’s a testament to Luke Mollis.”