Apr 28, 2026 By Jonathan Guth 6 min read

Joe Perry and Steven Tyler of the American rock band penned “Walk This Way” in 1975, which is a timeless classic, but obviously not a song that any member of the Uniontown baseball team grew up on.

Chances are their fathers, or more appropriately, grandfathers, were jamming to the riff by Perry and Tyler’s rapid-fire lyrics.

The song wasn’t played when freshman Dominic Petrovich drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the seventh to force in the winning run for the Red Raiders in a 6-5 victory over cross-town rival Laurel Highlands on Monday night at Bailey Park in Section 4-2A play, but it would have been suitable as Elim Martin scored the winning run on a night where the wind rivaled the midwest.

Uniontown improved to 3-6 in section play and 7-7 overall, while Laurel Highlands dropped to 2-7 and 4-10. Both remain alive for a spot in the WPIAL playoffs, but are in must-win scenarios.

The rematch was played on Tuesday at Laurel Highlands, but the result wasn’t determined at press time. A recap of the game will be available at heraldstandard.com with photos and quotes.

The Mustangs’ final section series is set for next Monday and Tuesday against Ringgold (5-5, 7-8). A loss to the Red Raiders would all but end their chances at the postseason, but a win and a sweep over the Rams would earn a berth as one of the four teams out of Section 4-2A.

Uniontown has its final two contests in the section against Elizabeth Forward (8-1, 10-4), which are also scheduled for next Monday and Tuesday. The Red Raiders appear to have a tougher challenge on paper, but their triumph over their rivals proved that anything is possible.

“The wind was pretty rough out there tonight,” Uniontown coach Dennis Martin said. “It was rough for the batters, the pitchers and the umpires. It was hard to hear, and hard to see sometimes.”

Uniontown scored the winning run without a hit, and benefited from an error in the final frame.

Elim Martin drew a four-pitch walk to lead off the inning before Laurel Highlands left-handed pitcher Jack Johns recorded one of his six strikeouts for the first out. Martin advanced to second when Brayden Hinzy reached on an error, and after both moved up a base following a passed ball, Luke Gresh walked to load the bases.

Adam Camer hot shot was snagged by Mustang first baseman Sevi Vecchiolla for the out, but all three Red Raiders raced back to their respective bases to avoid a double play.

Petrovich, who had struck out the first time he faced Johns in the fifth inning, was at a 1-1 count after taking for a ball and fouling off the second pitch, before taking Johns’ next three pitches to force in a jubilant Martin.

Petrovich stated the wind didn’t affect him, or his team, and he was just looking for a good pitch to hit.

“When I went up for that final at-bat, my coaches told me to look for a good pitch,” Petrovich said. “I knew when he threw the pitch on a 3-1 count that it had to be perfect. It was a great feeling to beat our rivals and have my teammates chant my name after our team huddle. I would say this was the highlight of my baseball career.”

Coach Martin has a number of ninth graders on his roster, but Petrovich was an easy decision to make a spot for on varsity.

“We have a large freshmen group this year, I believe there are nine, but only a handful of them were given a varsity jersey, and it was actually a pretty easy decision as coaches to give Dominic one,” Martin said. “Dom got one right off the bat, and it wasn’t a question. You knew he was a baller, and you knew he would come in and do what he could for us.”

Uniontown opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning when Ethan White and Elim Martin drew back-to-back walks with one out, and after two were down in the frame, White scored on Hinzy’s single to center field for a 1-0 lead. Martin scored on Gresh’s base hit to left field.

Laurel Highlands tied the game at 2-2 in the third when Nick Crouch walked and Braylon Schoch doubled to left field. Crouch was thrown out by Red Raider catcher Connor Hebda attempting to steal second base, but the Mustangs cashed in when Noah Lion’s double to right field scored Schoch to cut the deficit to 2-1. Lion scored on Vecchiolla’s second double. Schoch added a single for two hits.

Vecchiolla had two of Laurel Highlands’ five doubles. Michael Smith had a two bagger for the visitors.

Uniontown responded in the bottom of the frame with two runs of its own, which began with a double to right field by Martin to open the inning. Hinzy drove in Martin with a single to center field with one out, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Cramer walked with two outs, and with Petrovich batting, Hinzy scored on an error for a 4-2 advantage.

The Red Raiders extended their lead to three in the fourth inning when White singled and scored on Martin’s double to right field. White had reached on an infield single.

The Mustangs plated three runs in the sixth to tie the game at 5-5.

Aiden Milsom executed a bunt single, Evan Lion walked and Smith singled to load the bases with nobody out.

Milsom scored when Andrew Irwin walked with bases loaded, but Uniontown was able to force out two Laurel Highlands runners at home plate to maintain a two-run lead, but Crouch, who had reached on a fielder’s choice, and Irwin scored when Noah Lion was safe at first following an error for a 5-5 game. Lion had singled in the first inning for a two-hit day.

“Luarel Highlands always has good ball players,” Dennis Martin said. “They are well coached and always going to be competitive, especially in the cross-town rivalry. Without a doubt, no matter who is on their roster, you can’t just come to a ball field and think you are going to beat Laurel Highlands.

“Even when we were up, we knew that they were just not going to lay down and let us walk all over them.”

Chandler Myers earned the pitching victory after throwing two scoreless innings in relief. He allowed one hit, while striking out and walking two apiece.