Martin Oil and the Tyrone Legion have played in many close contests this year so naturally, the match up between the two was decided by one run. A Chad Coho double brought home Zack Tomchick to cap off a six-run sixth inning that gave Martin Oil a 9-8 win.
Jamie Levinson, the starter for the Tyrone Legion, got into a jam in the first inning when Dustin Harris reached on an error, stole second and went to third on a ground out, but Levinson struck out Chris Alley and got Troy Brunner to fly out to strand Harris at third.
Brunner, starting for Martin Oil, retired the Tyrone Legion in order in the bottom of the first, but ran into some problems in the second inning.
Tyler Gillmen singled to lead off the frame, and Derrick Soellner moved him to second with a single of his own. Jesse Hertzler worked a walk to load the bases, and one out later, Tyler Hoover was hit by a pitch to drive in the first run of the game.
Mike Romano drew the second walk of the inning to force in another run before Levinson connected for a two-run single. A passed ball allowed Romano to score and Levinson to move to second base before Justin Schopp brought home another run with a single to center field.
Martin Oil crept back into the game in the top of the third when with two outs and runners on first and second, Brunner reached first despite striking out when the ball got away from Soellner. A play later, Tomchick hit a grounder to Tyler Golden who threw the ball slightly away from first baseman Hoover. Hoover sprawled out for the ball and appeared to keep his toes on the bag, but Tomchick was called safe. Martin Oil went on to score three runs and cut the lead to 6-3.
The Tyrone Legion fired back in the bottom of the third with back-to-back singles by Soellner and Hertzler. An error allowed Justin Clark to reach and courtesy runner Donnie Conrad to cross home.
Martin Oil turned a double play to get two outs, but Romano beat out an infield single to score Hertzler from third to make the score 8-3.
The score remained that way until the top of the sixth inning in which Coho lead off with a single before being erased on a fielder\’s choice. Chris McDaniel grounded out to move a runner into scoring position, and then things fell apart for the Tyrone Legion.
Harris reached on an error that scored a run, and then Earnie Kelley and Alley reached on dribblers before Brunner hit a double down the line. Tomchick and Blaze Winterstein reached on softly hit singles to tie the game, and Coho put Martin Oil ahead with a double. All six runs were scored with two outs.
“We were luckier than dirt,” Martin Oil Manager Ed Davis said of the inning.
Harris, who had relieved Brunner on the mound, allowed two out singles to Golden and Schopp in the bottom of the inning and a wild pitch put the winning run in scoring position for Gillmen, but his deep fly ball was hauled in at the warning track by Earnie Kelley in center field.
Down by a single run in the seventh inning, Hertzler singled with one out and moved to second on a Clark ground out. Hoover then beat out an infield single to put the tying run at third base, but Harris struck out Romano looking to end the game.
“Dustin did a real nice job, we have been bringing him along slow, but he really got the job done tonight,” Davis said.
All nine of Martin Oil\’s runs were scored with two outs.
“I could give a bunch of different excuses to explain why we lost this game, but I have to put it this way; we had two outs while all of this was going on. No bad call or misplayed ball caused this entirely; all we needed was an out and we had plenty of opportunities to get that out,” Tyrone Legion Manager Mike Boytim said.
Despite the loss, the Tyrone Legion out hit Martin Oil 12-9.
“We swung the bats well again, and I think we may have turned a corner offensively. If we can just get solid pitching and execution with two outs, we are going to be tough to beat in the second part of this season,” Boytim said.
The Tyrone Legion is in action today against Park Furniture at Geesey Park. First pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Meanwhile, Martin Oil (7-4) will host Dick\’s Pharmacy at 6 p.m.
Legion Notes: The Tyrone Legion is now 3-7, but four of their losses have come by three runs or less….Justin Clark made two spectacular catches in center field that helped keep the Tyrone Legion in the game…. Levinson has not pitched in a game this season against a team that was at or below .500.
Martin Oil 9 Tyrone Legion 8
MARTIN OIL – Harris, cf-p, 5-2-0; Kelley, 1b-cf, 4-2-2; Alley, ss, 4-1-1; Brunner, p-1b-lf, 4-2-1; Tomchick, rf, 3-1-1; Winterstein, c, 4-0-1; Coho, 3b-1b, 4-0-3; Miller, 2b, 4-1-0; McDaniel, lf, 2-0-0; Dougherty, 3b, 1-0-0. TOTALS 35-9-9.
TYRONE LEGION – Levinson, p, 5-1-1; Golden, ss, 4-0-2; Schopp, lf, 4-0-2; Gillmen, 3b, 4-1-1; Soellner, c, 4-1-2; Conrad, cr-pr, 0-1-0; Hertzler, 3b, 3-2-2; Clark, cf, 4-0-0; Hoover, 1b, 2-1-1; Rodgers, ph, 1-0-0; Romano, rf, 3-1-1. TOTALS 30-8-12.
Martin Oil 003 006 0 9-9-3
Tyrone Legion 062 000 0 8-12-6
2B: Brunner 1, Coho 1.
RBI: Brunner 2, Coho 1, Kelley 1, Tomchick 1, Levinson 2, Romano 2, Schopp 1, Hoover 1.
SO: Harris 4, Brunner 2, Levinson 4.
BB: Brunner 2, Levinson 4.
WP: Harris LP: Levinson
