Jun 24, 2026 By Rob Burchianti 4 min read

Uniontown Post 51 has found different ways to win in ringing up six consecutive victories during the Fayette American Legion baseball season.

That includes managing to defeat visiting Carmichaels despite mustering only two hits in the second game of a doubleheader on Tuesday.

Nick Crouch and Brayden Hinzy combined on a one-hit shutout as Uniontown followed up a 7-4 win in the completion of a suspended game with a 3-0 victory to improve to 7-3.

“We have kind of got on a little bit of a run,” Uniontown manager Rich Franks said. “We haven’t have our full complement of senior guys during this stretch so we’ve had some Junior Legion kids play up with us. To their credit, they’ve stepped in in every role, whether it was pitching or at the plate or whatever the case may be. A huge thank you to that group.”

Crouch started on the mound and allowed one hit, a two-out single to Scott Maskil Jr. in the fifth inning, and one walk with seven strikeouts in five innings to earn the win. Hinzy retired all six batters he face, four on strikeouts, to earn the save.

“Nick threw phenomenal, his best game of the year for us by far,” Franks said. “He was able to locate everything. His curveball was the best it’s looked all season, which is a testament to him. He’s worked hard and he’s a good kid.”

Dominic Yazzani was the hard-luck losing pitcher for Carmichaels, allowing just two hits and four walks with five strikeouts in going the distance.

Uniontown got the only run it would need in the first inning when Shane Kelly was hit by a pitch, went to second when Lane Smiley walked, took third on a double steal and scored on Sevi Vecchiolla’s sacrifice fly.

Uniontown tacked on two insurance runs in the fourth inning. Vecchiolla was hit by a pitch and scored on Noah Lion’s double. Lion stole third and came home on Nick Fleszar’s sacrifice fly to make it 3-0.

“Offensively, we didn’t do a whole lot at the plate in either game,” Franks said. “We left a lot of guys on base, had a couple opportunities but didn’t cash in enough times. We took advantage of some of their mistakes, some heads up baserunning by the kids and that’s a big help.

The first game was suspended due to rain on Monday with Carmichaels holding a 3-2 lead in the top of the second inning.

When the game resumed Tuesday, Uniontown pushed across a run in the bottom of the second to tie it at 3-3 and the score remained that way until the sixth inning when the hosts struck for four runs.

Aiden Milsom started the rally with a bunt single, Jamesen Carter followed with a single to left and the two pulled off a double steal. Each runner scored on a wild pitch to make it 5-3. Smiley kept things going with a one-out walk, stole second with two outs and scored on a single by Vecchiolla who took second on the throw. Noah Zawislan followed with an RBI single.

Smiley earned the win with a solid relief outing, giving up just one run on one hit and two walks with five strikeouts in five innings.

Smiley, Zawislan and Milsom had two hits apiece for Uniontown.

Brayden Ellsworth had two of Carmichaels’ four hits, including a double, and Yazzani had a single and an RBI. Maskil took the loss.

“Kudos to the kids,” Franks said. “No one player on our team has had what I would call an ideal season for them but they’ve been opportunistic, they’ve produced in key moments. Some of the kids, when we had players missing, were tending to press a little bit more, but lately they’ve been able to relax and pick each other up.

“Every one of our pitchers has thrown the ball well. I’m proud of all the kids for the effort that they’ve put in.”