Belle Vernon Legion too much for Uniontown
Belle Vernon Post 484 scored six runs in the fourth inning and five in the fifth to take control in a 12-2 victory over Uniontown Post 51 on Wednesday at Hutchinson Field in Hopwood.
Belle Vernon (2-1) broke a 1-1 tie with its six runs in the fourth for a 7-1 lead. Uniontown (2-1) cut the deficit to 7-2 with a run in the bottom of the fourth frame before the visitors added five more and kept the home team off the scoreboard in the bottom of the inning to end the game in five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Belle Vernon’s Jack Crovak led off the top of the fourth frame with a double to left field and scored on JB Crovak’s single to right field for a 2-1 advantage. Jacob Peterson’s double to left field drove in JB Crovak for a two-run lead.
Peterson scored when Vito Francia reached first base safely on an error for a 4-1 lead. Francia advanced to second on the play and crossed home plate on Cole Matusik’s triple to right field.
Matusik scored on Dom Pireaux’s sacrifice flyout to left field for a 6-1 advantage. Max Manley walked and scored the sixth run of the inning on Landon Jackon’s double to center field.
The home team scored its second run in the bottom of the fourth inning when Noah Zawislan doubled to left field and scored on Parker Hoff’s double to center field to pull within five at 7-2.
Belle Vernon increased its lead to 10-2 in the top of the fifth frame when both Crovaks singled and Peterson walked to load the bases before all three scored on Francia’s double to left field.
Matusik walked, and he and Franica moved to second and third on a wild pitch. Matusik scored with one out on Manley’s bunt for a base hit for an 11-2 advantage. Matusik crossed home plate for the game’s final run when Jackson reached first base safely on a fielder’s choice to the pitcher.
Uniontown had runners on first and second with two outs in the bottom of the fifth when Lane Smiley singled and Jamesen Carter was hit-by-pitch, but Belle Vernon’s Brandon Geho recorded a strikeout to end the threat, inning and game.
The visitors opened the scoring in the first inning when Chase Petrosky singled, stole second, advanced to third on defensive indifference and scored on JB Crovak’s single to center field.
Uniontown manufactured a run without a hit in the bottom of the third inning when Nick Crouch and Aiden Milsom were hit-by-pitch in back-to-back at-bats, both stole second and third, and Crouch scored on Carter’s groundout to third base to tie the game at 1-1.
Matusik earned the victory on the mound after yielding one earned run on one hit over three frames. He struck out three and didn’t walk anyone. Geho pitched the final two innings. He allowed one earned run on three hits with two strikeouts and no walks.
JB Crovak led the game in hits with three. Matusik had two hits.
Uniontown’s Noah Lion singled to right field with two outs in the first inning.
Uniontown is at Thomas Jefferson (1-2) on Monday at 7 p.m.