Uniontown Post 51 edges Smithfield-Fairchance
Uniontown Post 51 rallied from a three-run deficit and won in walk-off fashion when Eahn Stevenson scored on Sevi Vecchiolla’s sacrifice flyout to center field for a 4-3 victory over Smithfield-Fairchance on Monday in Fayette County American Legion Baseball play at Hutchinson Field in Hopwood.
Smithfield (2-2) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and increased its advantage to 3-0 after adding a run in the top of the third frame.
Uniontown (2-0) scored one run in the fifth inning and two in the sixth to tie the game at 3-3. The contest needed extra innings after neither team scored in the seventh.
Smithfield had a strong start in its half of the eighth after A.J. Watson reached first base safely on an error and Matt Malinsky singled to left field. Watson advanced to third on an error following Malinsky’s hit.
Malinsky moved to second on defensive indifference to put the visitors in business, but Noah Zawislan forced a popup to first base for the first out, and induced two popups to shortstop to escape the half-inning unscathed.
Stevenson drew a walk on a 3-2 count to lead off the bottom half of the eighth. He advanced to third on Noah Lion’s single to right field and scored when Vecchiolla hit a 0-1 offering that Watson caught, but the ball was hit deep enough for Stevenson to score.
Zawislan earned the pitching victory after entering the game in the fourth inning. He didn’t allow a run on two hits over five innings with six strikeouts and one walk.
Smithfield’s two runs in the first inning came on three hits and a walk, but Vecchiolla gunned down an attempted base runner to keep the home team in striking distance.
With two outs in the frame, Malinsky singled to center field and Kayden Perez walked. Malinsky advanced to second on a passed ball and third on a wild pitch before he and Perez scored on Kanyon Sutton’s fly ball to right field for a 2-0 lead. Perez moved to second on defensive indifference.
The visitors increased their advantage to 3-0 with a run in third when Watson walked and scored on a passed ball.
Watson, who had one hit, drew a base on balls to lead off the frame before stealing second. He remained at second when Perez walked, and moved to third when Sutton drew a free pass before scoring.
Uniontown had four hits in the fifth inning, but could only muster one run to cut the deficit to 3-1.
Nick Crouch singled on a bunt before advancing to second on an error. He scored on Aiden Milson’s base hit to right field.
Brayden Hinzy and Lane Smiley hit back-to-back singles but Malinsky was able to get out of the frame with a two-run lead.
The home team benefited from a walk and hit-by-pitch in scoring the tying runs, but Zawislan got into the act with an RBI single to left field.
With one out in the frame, Lion walked and advanced to second when Vecchiolla was hit-by-pitch.
Lion scored on Zawislan’s run-scoring single and Vecchiolla crossed home plate when Crouch grounded out to second base.
Hinzy had three hits to lead the game.
Smithfield’s Evan Weakland had the only extra-base hit of the contest, a double in the fifth inning.
Uniontown hosts Belle Vernon (1-1) tonight at 7 p.m. Smithfield hosts Thomas Jefferson (1-2) on Thursday at 6 p.m.
CHARLEROI 3, CARMICHAELS 1 — Charleroi scored two unearned runs in a home victory and Veterans Memorial Field.
Charleroi (2-0) opened the scoring with a run in the bottom of the second inning when Tristyn Woods walked, but was forced out at second when Logan Hartley reached first base safely on a fielder’s choice.
Hartley stole second and scored on an error for a 1-0 lead.
Carmichaels (0-2) tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the third frame when Dominic Yazzani doubled to lead off the inning, and with one out, scored on Chase Ankrom’s double to right field.
The home team regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Sam Wade reached first base safely on an error, advanced to second on Luke Henderson’s sacrifice bunt, and with two outs, scored on Jaxson Klinger’s base hit to right field for a 2-1 advantage.
Charleroi added an insurance run in the sixth when Woods, Lazer Glasser and Hartley recorded three straight singles.
Jake Corrin earned the win on the mound. He allowed one earned run on three hits over four innings with two strikeouts and five walks.
CJ Corwin took the loss, but he had a quality start in yielding three runs (one earned) on five hits over 5 ⅓ innings. He had three strikeouts and walked three.
THOMAS JEFFERSON 9, BELLE VERNON 5 — Thomas Jefferson Post 935 had a strong offensive performance in a victory over Belle Vernon Post 484 at John DiVirgilio Sports Complex in Rostraver Township.
Thomas Jefferson scored two runs apiece in the first and second innings for a 4-0 lead before Belle Vernon cut the deficit to one with three in the third frame.
The visitors added one run in the fifth, and two each in the sixth and seventh innings for a 9-3 advantage. The home team scored two in the bottom of the seventh.
Thomas Jefferson’s Anthony DeMino and Ryder Mulvihill led the game in hits with three apiece. DeMino had three RBIs and Mulvihill drove in one run. Mulvihill also doubled and scored three runs.
Chase Oshell had two hits for the visitors. Teammate Zach Lucas singled and drove in two runs.
Max Manley tripled and Aiden Shaffer doubled for Belle Vernon. Manley scored one run and Shaffer had an RBI.
Landon Jackson drove in a run and singled for the home team.
Ty Geary earned the pitching win after yielding three runs on four hits over five innings. She struck out three and walked two. Hunter Horne pitched the last two frames for Thomas Jefferson. He allowed two earned runs on three hits with two strikeouts and one walk.