Constantly playing with only nine players in a baseball game is one thing, but when those nine players are different every day things can get every complicated.
Ben Lynn, Tyrone\’s usual second baseman started in right field while back up infielder Matt Morrissey got the start at second. Utility player Tyler Hoover started at third, and Jason Wilson made his first start of the season on the mound.
But despite the make shift line up, Tyrone was able to stick with one of the Kelly Federation\’s best teams: Barkman Oil. Although the Legion came up short 4-2, there was never a lack of effort.
Barkman Oil got on the scoreboard first when Eric Snyder beat out an infield single, stole second, and scored on a Jeff Curfman ground rule double. Curfman would get no farther as Wilson got the next two batters to pop out.
Barry Gummo led off the bottom of the first with his first of three singles on the day, but Curfman, Barkman Oil\’s pitcher, picked Gummo off first base. Ben Gummo tried to get the rally started again by singling, stealing second and moving to third on a wild pitch. Clint Wilson drew a walk and moved to second on a ball that got a few feet away from catcher Evan Snowberger, but both runners were stranded when Curfman got the next two hitters on a pop out and a strike out.
Jason Wilson set Barkman Oil down in order in the second, and Curfman responded by striking out the side in Tyrone\’s half of the inning.
Two errors made things complicated in the top of the third, but Derrick Soellner threw out Cody Beach trying to steal second, and Barry Gummo caught a Curfman fly ball and threw to second to double off Snyder to get out of the inning.
Both teams got two base runners a piece in the fourth, but neither could take advantage, and the score remained 1-0.
Beach got things started for Barkman Oil in the fifth with a single, and he moved to second on a throwing error after a ground ball. A Snyder single loaded the bases before Curfman singled to score Beach, but Shane Gherrity\’s throw got Curtis Olivieri at home to keep the score 2-0 until Snowberger\’s sacrifice fly scored Snyder.
With a man on third, Wilson struck out Caleb Johnson to keep Tyrone in the game.
Tyrone struck back in their half of the fifth. Barry Gummo singled with one out and stole second. With two outs, Clint Wilson sent a ball over the left field fence to cut Barkman Oil\’s lead to 3-2.
Barkman Oil added a run in the sixth when Scott Zimmerman hit a solo home run on a pitch that got too far inside.
“We were working the outside part of the plate the entire game, but that was one of the few pitches I put across the inside of the plate,” said pitcher Jason Wilson.
Tyler Hoover singled in Tyrone\’s half of the sixth, but got no farther than first base.
Wilson held Barkman Oil in check in the top of the seventh, and Tyrone headed into their final at bat down only two runs.
“Jason pitched a great game against one of the best teams in the league today,” said head coach John Gummo.
Soellner was able to get a bloop single to bring the tying run to the plate with two outs for Tyrone, but the day belonged to Curfman who got Jason Wilson into a fielder\’s choice that ended the game
“We stranded a lot of runners in scoring position. We just needed that key it today, but it didn\’t come,” said Gummo.
Dick\’s Pharmacy was forced to forfeit to Tyrone when they were unable to come up with enough players.
Sunday afternoon was business as usual for the Tyrone Legion when Barry Gummo pitches. Gummo went the distance, throwing his second shutout of the season for his sixth win as Tyrone cruised 6-0.
Gummo got things started offensively as well for Tyrone in the top of the first when he singled, stole second and scored on consecutive throwing errors by Sheetz.
Gummo struck out five batters his first time through the Sheetz line up before scoring another run in the third. He walked, stole second, moved to third on a ground out, and scored on an RBI grounder by Clint Wilson.
Tyrone broke the game open in the fourth with three runs. With one out, Shane Gherrity walked. Ben Lynn followed with a double to right center. Gherrity scored when Jordan Dillen\’s throw got away from catcher Ben Shaffer. Tyler Hoover and Matt Morrissey got free passes to load the bases before Barry Gummo came through again with a two run single to put Tyrone ahead 5-0.
“It was real important for the bottom of the order to have an inning like this and get their confidence up so the top of the order could drive them in,” said head coach John Gummo.
Sheetz had their best inning off Gummo in the bottom of the fourth. Brent Massar led off with a deep shot down the right field line, but Gherrity made an amazing running basket catch in foul territory. Justin Adams singled, but was picked off first by Gummo. After another single and a walk, Gummo got out of the inning by getting Ryan Greaser to ground out.
Tyrone added the final run of the game in the fifth when Clint Wilson singled, moved to second on an error, and scored after Hoover was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
Gummo set the final nine batters down in order as Tyrone secured their ninth victory of the season.
“Barry is just getting better every time out, and he\’s learning to concentrate out there,” said Gummo.
Legion Notes: Tyler Hoover had four put outs at third base in an impressive defensive performance Saturday… With five hits over the weekend, Barry Gummo passed Soellner in their battle for highest average (.500 to .463)… Jason Wilson did not walk a batter Saturday… Barry Gummo is now 6-0 with a 0.77 ERA.
Barkman Oil 4 Tyrone Legion 2
BARKMAN OIL – Olivieri, cf, 4-0-1; Snyder, rf, 4-2-2; Curfman, p, 4-0-3; Snowberger, c, 4-0-0; Johnson, 3b, 4-0-1; Detwiler, 1b, 3-0-0; Rhodes, ph, 1-0-0; Blough, cr, 0-0-0; Zimmerman, ss, 3-1-2; Lafferty, lf, 3-0-1; Beach, 2b, 3-1-2. TOTALS 33-4-12.
TYRONE LEGION – Ba. Gummo, cf, 4-1-3; Be. Gummo, ss, 4-0-1; C. Wilson, 1b, 3-1-1; Soellner, c, 4-0-2; J. Wilson, p, 3-0-0; Gherrity, lf, 2-0-0; Lynn, rf, 3-0-0; Hoover, 3b, 3-0-1; Morrissey, 2b, 3-0-0. TOTALS 29-2-8.
Barkman Oil 100 021 0 4-12-1.
Tyrone Legion 000 020 0 2-8-3.
HR: Zimmerman, C. Wilson.
2B: Curfman
RBI: Curfman 2, Snowberger 1, Zimmerman 1, C. Wilson 2.
SO: Curfman 11, J. Wilson 2
BB: Curfman 3.
WP: Curfman LP: J. Wilson.
Tyrone Legion 6 Sheetz 0
TYRONE LEGION – Ba. Gummo, p, 4-2-2; Be. Gummo, ss, 4-0-1; C. Wilson, 1b, 3-1-1; Soellner, c, 4-0-1; J. Wilson, cf, 4-0-1; Gherrity, rf, 2-1-0; Lynn, 2b, 3-1-1; Hoover, 3b, 2-1-0; Morrissey, dh, 3-0-1, Crabtree, lf, 0-0-0. TOTALS 29-6-8.
SHEETZ – Tomilson, ss, 3-0-0; Dillen, 2b, 2-0-0; B. Massar, rf, 3-0-1; Adams, cf, 2-0-1; Tragon, p, 3-0-1; S. Massar, 3b, 2-0-0; Greaser, 1b, 2-0-0; Burchfield, 1b, 1-0-0; Shaffer, c, 0-0-0; Cooper, dh, 2-0-0; Schmidt, lf, 2-0-0. TOTALS 22-0-3.
Tyrone Legion 101 310 0 6-8-2.
Sheetz 000 000 0 0-3-5.
2B: Lynn
RBI: Ba. Gummo 2, C. Wilson 1, Hoover 1.
SO: Ba. Gummo 8, Tragon 5.
BB: Ba. Gummo 3, Tragon 6.
WP: Ba. Gummo LP: Tragon.
