Uniontown advances to FCALBL title game with 11-0 victory
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Uniontown third baseman Alex McClain throws to first for the out on a ground ball hit by Charleroi’s Hunter Mamie in the top of the first game in Sunday’s FCALBL winner’s bracket game at Hutchinson Field.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Charleroi shortstop Chad Behrendt throws the ball across the infield for the out on Uniontown’s Joe Chambers inn the bottom of the second inning in Sunday’s FCALBL winner’s bracket game at Hutchinson Field.
Charleroi pitcher Ashton Ray releases the ball in the bottom of the second inning in Sunday's FCALBL winner's bracket game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Charleroi second baseman Dan Verscharen tosses the ball to first base in the bottom of the third inning in Sunday's FCALBL winner's bracket game against Uniontown at Hutchinson Field.
Uniontown's Joe Chambers reaches back before delivering a pitch in the top of the first inning in Sunday's FCALBL winner's bracket game against Charleroi at Hutchinson Field.
HOPWOOD — Uniontown scored all but one its runs with two outs for an 12-0 victory over Charleroi Sunday afternoon in the Fayette County American Legion Baseball League winner’s bracket game at Hutchinson Field.
Uniontown (13-4) advances to the title game Tuesday night against the winner of Monday’s Charleroi-Connellsville game.
The game was scoreless entering the bottom of the second inning when seven straight batters reached base after two outs to give the home team a 6-0 lead.
Braeden McKnight started the rally with a two-out walk.
“Two of my biggest pet peeves are lead-off walks and walks with two outs. It’s something we harp on all the time,” said Charleroi manager Luke Mollis.
Christian Thomas dumped a double into right field and Hunter Chaikcic cleared the bases with a single.
Ty Sankovich was hit by a pitch after Chaikcic stole second. CJ Gesk followed with an infield single to load the bases.
Alex McClain ripped a two-run single to left field, and Brant Bonadio drove in two with a single. Ashton Ray finally escaped the inning by striking out Braeden O’Brien, who made the first out of the inning on a fly ball to center field.
Uniontown came back with five more runs — with two outs — in the bottom of the third inning.
McKnight singled with one out and moved to second on a mishandled pickoff throw.
Ray struck out Thomas swinging, but Chaikcic followed with a run-scoring single. After Chaikcic advanced on a wild pitch, Sankovich walked. CJ Gesk kept the inning alive with an RBI single.
McClain ripped a ball down the third base line for a two-run double. Bonadio did the same for a run-scoring double.
“Ashton was not as sharp as he usually is,” said Mollis. Ray was the winning pitcher in last Sunday’s 3-1 win over Uniontown in the regular season finale.
Dan Verscharen came on in relief of Ray, which nearly proved costly for the starting pitcher when he stumbled over the mound alongside the left field line trying to track down a foul fly ball and tumbled face first into the fence. Ray remained in the game.
“Danny is a little spark plug. He hasn’t pitched in awhile, but he’ll go compete,” said Mollis.
O’Brien singled Bonadio to third, but center fielder Kris Weston tracked down Chambers’ fly ball for the third out.
“Two-out runs are a back-breaker no matter how many you score,” said Uniontown manager Brad Yohman.
Uniontown scored one run in the fourth inning on pinch-hitter Ben Diamond’s RBI single.
Uniontown belted out 14 hits, compared to just three in the season finale against Ray and Lorenzo Glasser.
“It shows better focus to hit what’s pitched,” said Yohman. “We worked chalk line to chalk line. It’s nice to see them adjust.
“Ray is a great pitcher. I think we were on time with the fastball today. When he beat us, we had a lot of swings and misses on fastballs. We were able to get on the fastball early and stayed on it.
“We were on time with the fastball and it showed. We caught a lot of barrels today.”
Charleroi (9-5) had chances to score in its first two at-bats, but came up empty.
Glasser singled with one out in the top of the first inning and Remington Lessman walked with two outs, but Chambers got Ray swinging for the third out.
“We wasted an opportunity in the first inning,” said Mollis.
The visitors had another prime chance in the second inning when Noah Martin opened with a triple. Weston attempted to bunt, but came up short and was eventually struck out by Chambers.
Brady Todd hit an infield ground ball and Martin, after hesitating, took off the for the plate. The throw easily beat Martin to the plate for the second out.
Dan Verscharen followed with a single to right field, but Chambers again ended the threat with a strikeout.
Chambers, who took the loss in the regular season finale against Charleroi, allowed four hit and walked two. The right-hander struck out 10, including two in each of the first three innings and the side in the fourth inning.
“Joe delivered today. Joe was Joe today,” praised Yohman. “Joe was in charge of the game.
“We knew with their top pitcher, we had to win a close game,” said Mollis.
Now Mollis and his squad must shake the memory of the loss and come back ready to play Connellsville.
“A loss is a loss to me. It’s hard not to get down. It’s demoralizing,” said Mollis. “We have to get to the championship round. We need to get to the final to get to the regional.
“Our main object is to get through (Monday night).”
Uniontown had already secured a spot in the regional tournament with the regular season title, and now plays for the league title.
“We wanted to get to the championship,” said Yohman.