A year ago Barry Gummo pitched a gem in the playoffs, striking out twelve and allowing only two earned runs, but he didn\’t get enough offensive support to get a victory. Friday, despite not being quite as sharp on the mound, he provided the offense the Tyrone Legion needed to top Locker Room 7-6 with a single in the sixth inning that scored three runs.
Gummo struck out two batters in the first inning and allowed only one base runner. In the bottom of the inning he got things going for the Legion offensively with a double to the wall. Ben Gummo reached on an error and stole second to put runners at second and third with no outs. But Locker Room pitcher Aaron Harris got out of the jam with a ground out and two strike outs to keep the Legion off the scoreboard.
Locker Room put a threat of their own together in the top of the second. Matt Michael singled and moved to second on a bunt single by Bruce Diehl. David Rahoi moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt, but Gummo struck out Nate Mills, and Ben Gummo made a nice play going to his left to rob Lou Cata of a single up the middle to end the threat.
The Tyrone Legion then had the first of two big offensive innings. Jason Wilson walked and stole second before Shane Gherrity doubled him in. After Harris struck out two batters, Barry Gummo walked. Ben Gummo hit a chopper up the middle that looked as though it was going to end the inning, but a hustling Barry Gummo dove head first into second to beat the throw and load the bases. Moments later Thadd Westley\’s chopper tipped off shortstop Mike Albright\’s glove to allow Gherrity and Barry Gummo to score. Harris got Clint Wilson to ground out to end the inning, but Tyrone led 3-0.
Locker Room manufactured a run in the third when with one out Garrett Clawson singled and Harris bunted him to second. Joel Reese ripped a single to score Clawson and cut the Legion\’s lead to two runs.
Locker Room used two bunts, a single and a swinging bunt to tie the game in the fourth. Diehl bunted his way on to lead off the inning, and after he stole second Rahoi singled him in and went to second on the throw. Mills bunted Rahoi to third, and third baseman Tyler Hoover couldn\’t corral a weak chopper by Cata that brought home Rahoi. Barry Gummo stopped the rally by snagging a sharp grounder back to the mound and getting Clawson to pop out.
The Tyrone Legion couldn\’t take advantage of a Ben Gummo triple in the fourth, but Barry Gummo sat Locker Room down in order in the top of the fifth.
Fueled by the quick inning, Tyrone had another offensive explosion. Clint Wilson singled to lead off the inning and pinch runner Matt Morrissey stole second. Derrick Soellner ripped a single that moved Morrissey to third, and Jason Wilson laid down a perfect bunt single with one strike on him that scored Morrissey.
“That was perfect. He already had one strike on him, but he said he could do it and he did. That was huge under pressure,” said head coach John Gummo.
Gherrity reached base for the third time with a walk to load the bases, but once again Harris struck out two hitters to put himself in position to get out of the jam with only one run given up. But with a full count and the runners moving with the pitch, Barry Gummo laced a single to center that scored Soellner and Wilson. When center fielder Joel Reese misplayed the ball, Gherrity also scored to put the Legion ahead 7-3.
“That hit was critical, because we had been stranding a bunch of runners and we finally got a huge two out hit,” said Gummo about the three-run single.
Both teams had a relatively quiet sixth inning, but Locker Room made the Legion earn their victory in the seventh.
Hoover made a nice play on a grounder to retire Albright for the first out, but Clawson singled and Harris walked. Reese brought both runners home with a deep triple and scored when Michael grounded out. With the tying run at the plate, Gummo got Diehl to ground out and give the Tyrone Legion a 1-0 series advantage.
“Being up 1-0 is huge, we can just have fun tomorrow and hopefully get a victory to save some pitching. The defense has played well lately and did tonight. I think it\’s because we finally have everyone in set positions,” said Gummo.
The Tyrone Legion will take on Locker Room again tomorrow as they look for the series sweep at Vet\’s field starting at 5:30 PM.
Legion Notes: Clint Wilson will be the starting pitcher in Saturday\’s game…Shane Gherrity continues to be the hottest hitting player on the team with his double and two walks Friday. After starting the season struggling to get his average over .200, Gherrity finished at .419… Tyrone committed only one error in the game.
Tyrone Legion 7 Locker Room 6
LOCKER ROOM – Albright, ss, 4-0-0; Clawson, rf, 4-2-2; Harris, p, 2-1-1; Macionsky, cr, 0-0-0; Reese, cf, 4 1-2; Michael, lf, 4-0-1; Diehl, dh, 4-1-3; Glover, 1b, 0-0-0; Rahoi, 3b, 2-1-1; Mills, c, 1-0-0; Cata, 2b, 3-0-0. TOTALS 28-6-10.
TYRONE LEGION – Ba. Gummo, p, 4-1-2; Be. Gummo, ss, 4-0-2; Westley, 2b, 4-0-0; C. Wilson, 1b, 4-0-1; Morrissey, pr, 0-1-0; Soellner, c, 4-1-1; J. Wilson, cf, 2-2-1; Gherrity, rf, 1-2-1; Rickards, 3b, 2-0-0; Hoover, 3b, 1-0-0; Lynn, lf, 3-0-0. TOTALS 29-7-8.
Locker Room 001 200 3 6-10-3.
Tyrone Legion 030 040 X 7-8-1.
3B: Reese, Be. Gummo
2B: Ba. Gummo, Gherrity.
RBI: Reese 3, Cata 1, Rahoi 1, Michael 1, Ba. Gummo 2, J. Wilson 1, Gherrity 1.
SO: Harris 10, Ba. Gummo 4.
BB: Harris 2, Ba. Gummo 2.
WP: Ba. Gummo LP: Harris.
