Jared Rodgers started a seventh inning comeback for the Tyrone Legion with an infield single and later scored on a single by Tyler Golden that brought home the tying and go ahead runs to help the Tyrone Legion to a 4-3 victory over Hoss\’s.
Early on, the Tyrone Legion offense which came alive Tuesday night seemed to revert back to its struggling ways, but unlike previous games during their five game skid, the Legion\’s starting pitching kept them close.
Mike Romano, starting for the first time this season, retired the side in order in the first after Hoss\’s hurler Lucas Harella did the same to the Tyrone Legion.
Derrick Soellner and Justin Schopp singled to start the top of the second frame and moved to second and third on a perfect sacrifice bunt by Romano, but Harella got Jesse Hertzler to pop out and struck out Ben Lynn to escape the jam.
A.J. Beerbower led off the Hoss\’s half of the second inning with a deep double to left field and went to third when Lynn had trouble handling the ball. Beerbower scored the first run of the game an out later on a wild pitch.
The Tyrone Legion used a two out rally to take a 2-1 advantage in the top of the third inning. Golden singled and stole second base before Tyler Gillmen ripped a single to right field to bring home Golden. Gillmen then stole second and went to third when Soellner reached on an error.
The Legion then used a trick play to manufacture another run. Soellner began walking towards second base, and Harella stepped off and ran toward Soellner. Meanwhile, Gillmen took off for home and when Harella threw the ball home, Gillmen had already crossed the plate safely.
Romano worked a scoreless bottom half of the inning, but Hoss\’s used three straight singles in the fourth inning to tie the game.
With the score tied at two in the fifth inning, Romano got Tyler Sagaities to pop out but walked Nate Supp. The walk prompted a move to the bullpen as Gillmen relieved Romano and finished the inning with the tie in tact.
Harella held the Tyrone Legion offense scoreless once again in the top of the sixth inning, but Gillmen couldn\’t keep Hoss\’s off the scoreboard in the bottom half of the inning.
Speedy Brandon Marasco led off with a bunt single, moved to second on a wild pitch and stole third. Matt Cuputo brought him home with a RBI ground out to give Hoss\’s a 3-2 lead heading into the top of the seventh inning.
Rodgers, who had been hitless in six at bats this season, led off with a chopper down the third base line that he beat out by a step. Two pitches later, Matt Morrissey hit a line drive into right field that put runners on first and second with no outs.
“Jared was in to courtesy run earlier in the game, but other than that he hasn\’t seen much action in the past couple games. Coming through in that situation with all the pressure on and an 0-2 count when you haven\’t played much is an amazing feat, and I\’m very happy for him,” Tyrone Legion Manager Mike Boytim said.
Harella got Jamie Levinson out on a shallow fly ball, but after a wild pitch that moved the runners into scoring position, Golden ripped a single up the middle that scored Rodgers. Morrissey came home as well when the ball ended up in the Hoss\’s dugout.
Gillmen allowed a leadoff walk to Ryan Conway, but retired the next three batters in order to pick up the victory for the Tyrone Legion.
“Tyler\’s arm wasn\’t feeling 100 percent, but we needed a power arm in there today to follow up Romano, and Tyler pitched well even without his best stuff,” Boytim said.
The Tyrone Legion will be in action Friday night at 8:30 p.m. as the home team at Vet\’s Field. The game was originally scheduled to take place in Tyrone, but had to be rescheduled because of a teener league doubleheader.
Legion Notes: Tyrone Legion Manager Mike Boytim, who was hit by 24 pitches in one season while he played on the Tyrone Legion, convinced the home plate umpire to overturn a called hit by pitch, because Hoss\’s extra hitter Alex Marchi made no attempt to move out of the way….Marchi later grounded out…. Harella did not walk a batter…. Gillmen\’s RBI was his team leading ninth…. Golden had two hits to follow up his three hit performance a night before to raise his average to .360.
Tyrone Legion 4 Hoss\’s 3
TYRONE LEGION – Levinson, ss, 4-0-1; Golden, 3b, 4-1-2; Gillmen, cf-p, 4-1-1; Soellner, c, 3-0-1; Schopp, rf, 3-0-1; Romano, p-cf, 2-0-0; Hertzler, dh, 2-0-0; Hoover, 1b, 1-0-0; Lynn, lf, 2-0-0; Rodgers, ph, 1-1-1; Morrissey, 2b, 3-1-1. TOTALS 29-4-8.
HOSS\’S – Marasco, cf, 3-1-2; Harella, p, 2-1-1; Caputo, 2b, 3-0-1; Beerbower, 3b, 3-1-2; Winbush, c, 3-0-0; Conway, rf, 1-0-0; Sagaities, 1b, 2-0-0; Baird, ph, 1-0-0; Supp, lf, 2-0-0; Davies, ss, 2-0-0; Smith, ph, 1-0-0; Marchi, eh, 2-0-0. TOTALS 25-3-6.
Tyrone Legion 002 000 2 4-8-2
Hoss\’s 010 101 0 3-6-3
2B: Beerbower 1.
RBI: Golden 1, Gillmen 1, Caputo 1, Beerbower 1.
SO: Harella 7, Romano 2, Gillmen 2.
BB: Romano 2, Gillmen 2.
WP: Gillmen LP: Harella
