Tyrone Legion played a pair of games on Saturday and Sunday, at the Harry K. Sickler Athletic Complex, to give the local entry a total of three straight games in as many days, in what will be a very busy month. Before the month is over, the Legion will have played 17 games, weather permitting, after not getting started until June 3. Following a clash with Martin Oil on Friday, which as expected, was a tight single-run battle, won by Martin Oil 6-5, Tyrone Legion hosted ReMax Realty on Saturday, falling again by a single tally, 5-4, and then came back against the newest team in the Kelley Federation, Steel Connections of Ashville, posting their first victory of the campaign by an 8-2 count.
Steel Connection scored the first tallies, putting up two scores in the top of the third. Langer was safe on an error and Marra batting in the leadoff spot singled. A. Pettanat, the starting pitcher for Steel Connections, singled to support himself on the mound driving in both runners.
That would be all Tyrone Legion pitcher Randy Hoover would allow however, shutting out Steel Connections the rest of the way, scattering six hits, with one strikeout and one walk. The Legion played perfect defense behind Hoover, committing no errors for the second straight game.
The Steel Connections lead held up until the fifth inning.
Cody Smith walked and Justin Schopp traded places him with a fielder’s choice for the first out. Schopp stole second base and scored on single by Matt Brooks.
An inning later, Hoover and Adam “the bonz” Bonsell walked. Kris Decker rapped a hard shot to third base that with Hoover running on the pitch was able to score. Cody Smith walked to load the bases, and Justin Schopp walked to force in Bonsell with the go-ahead tally. Donnie Hunter followed with a two-run single that got both Decker and Schopp home. Brooks and Mike Moore walked to reload the sacks and Tom Sims singled to drive in Hunter and Brooks.
“I was elated to see how our kids are opening up at the plate,” said a very happy first-year Coach Chris Futrick after the Legion secured their first win. “We should have won every game this week. The new ball players are doing a fine job fielding and at the plate. Once we get all our kids here, we will be solid. Adam Bonsell hasn’t played since Little League. A. J. Schopp hasn’t played in two years. Today, Randy Hoover and Mike Moore returned to help support the cause.”
On Saturday, undefeated ReMax Realty jumped out to a 2-0 advantage, with single runs in the second and third. After scoring an unearned tally in the second, Chris Perry, whose dad Greg taught at Bellwood-Antis, tripled and scored on a fielder’s choice in the third.
In the bottom of the third, Shane Walker walked for Tyrone Legion, Donnie Hunter rapped a single and Eric Desch got Walked home with a sacrifice to cut the ReMax lead to 2-1.
ReMax scored a run in the fourth and two in the fifth with Pat Tomassetti involved in all three scores. In the fourth Tomassetti singled and came around to score. An inning later, he drove in a run with a base hit and came around to score on a single by Diehl.
Tyrone Legion scored three times in the bottom of the fifth to close to within a run. Hunter walked and scored on a double by Desch. Tyler Golden singled to drive in Desch. Brock Anders and Kris Decker singled, with Decker’s hit knocking in Golden.
Hunter and Anders each had two hits for Tyrone Legion. Golden took the loss for Legion, striking out three and walking two.
Legion Notes: Coaches Futrick, Hunter, Iddings and Anders are asking for donations from businesses and individuals to help the Tyrone Legion Federation baseball program. Anyone who is interested should call Ron Iddings at 207-6573.
Tyrone Legion 8 Steel Connections 2
Steel Connections – Marra, cc, 3-1-1; A. Pettanat, p, 3-0-2; Nash, c, 3-0-0; Kimberly, 1b, 3-0-0; Jeffries, 2b-p, 3-0-1; McCoy, cf-p, 3-0-0; Rickens, lf, 2-0-1; P. Pettanat, rf-p, 3-0-1; Langer, 3b, 3-1-0. TOTALS 26-2-6.
Tyrone Legion – J. Schopp, cf, 2-2-1; Hunter, 2b-ss, 4-1-1; Brooks, 1b, 1-1; Golden, ss, 1-0-1; Anders, 3b, 1-0-0; Hoover, p, 1-1-0; Bonsell, lf, 3-1-0; Decker, c, 4-1-0; A.J. Schopp, rf, Moore, 2b, 2-0-0; Sims, 3b, 3-0-1; Smith, 3b, 2-1-0. TOTALS 27-8-5.
Steel Connections 002 000 0 2-6-0
Tyrone Legion 000 017 X 8-5-1.
2B: Golden.
RBI: A. Pettanat 2, Hunter 2, Sims 2, Brooks, Decker, J. Schopp,
SO: A. Pettanat 1, Hoover 1.
BB: A. Pettanat 3, Jeffries 1, P. Pettanat 4, McCoy 1, Hoover 1.
WP: Hoover LP: A. Pettanat
