TYRONE–Despite having only nine players to begin each of its weekend games and only eight to finish both, Tyrone Legion was able to salvage a two-game split.
Saturday Tyrone took on league leading Barkman Oil (13-2), with Donnie Hunter making only his second career George B. Kelley Federation start. Hunter went the distance, keeping Tyrone close for most of the game.
A two-run single by Randy Hoover helped the Legion pull within 10-7, but Barkman Oil scored four runs in the top of the sixth when Tyrone had only eight fielders to pull away and win the game 14-7.
Sunday, Tyrone faced a similar situation, knowing it would finish the game with only eight players, and Tyrone trailed 6-4 heading into the bottom of the sixth inning against Dick’s Pharmacy.
Hoover and Tom Sims led off with back-to-back singles, and an error loaded the bases. Hunter reached on a fielder’s choice to score Hoover, and Jamie Levinson hit a two-out, two-run double to put Tyrone ahead. Matt Brooks capped off the inning by bringing in Levinson with a single up the middle.
Tyrone was unable to hold the lead in the top of the seventh, as Dick’s tied the game with the help of two Tyrone errors, but Brooks rebounded with a strong eighth inning, and Sims doubled to begin the bottom of the eighth.
After an out, Josh Clark put Tyrone in the win column with a double to the wall for his third hit of the game, finishing a home run short of the cycle.
“We played pretty close to even with the best team in the league for five innings with only eight players for most of the time, and then we managed to steal one Sunday with just eight for about four innings,” Tyrone Legion manager Mike Boytim said. “The kids who are here are really giving it their all, and I have a ton of respect for how hard they are playing. We are going up against teams with rosters twice the size of what we have had showing up, and we’re hanging right with them, and that’s a testament to these kids being willing to play anywhere, and Josh Clark and Aaron Cunningham doing a great job at patrolling the entire outfield.”
Tyrone will host Sheetz today at 6 p.m., the team’s sixth game in as many days with two left to come.
Saturday
Barkman Oil 14 Tyrone Legion 7
BARKMAN OIL (14): Nash 1b 421, Ewart c 322, Dick 3b-2b 411, Simpson 2b-3b 342, Greenleaf lf 401, Saylor p-ss 301, Russell cr-ph 100, Stiffey cf 311, Brumbaugh ph 100, Forshey rf 422, Snowberger ss-p 423. TOTALS–34-14-14.
TYRONE LEGION (7): Clark cf 401, Hunter p 412, Levinson ss-c 210, Cunningham 1b-lf 421, Hoover 2b-ss 311, Sims 3b 300, Rodland rf-2b 300, Ma. Romano lf-1b 210, Anders c 210. TOTALS–27-7-5.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Barkman Oil 331 214 0 14-14-4.
Tyrone Legion 004 120 0 7- 5-5.
2B–Nash, Stiffey, Snowberger, Clark.
3B–Snowberger.
RBI–Saylor 3, Simpson 2, Dick, Snowberger 2, Forshey, Hoover 2, Clark, Hunter, Cunningham, Rodland.
SO–Saylor 6, Snowberger 2, Hunter 3.
BB–Hunter 2, Saylor 2, Snowberger 5.
WP–Saylor. LP–Hunter.
Sunday
Tyrone Legion 9 Dick’s Pharmacy 8
DICK’S PHARMACY (8): Gillmen c 510, Ross cf 210, Sweeney 2b 332, Walter ss 412, Henry dh 310, Riggleman p 000, Yon lf 401, McCaulley 3b 310, McMullen 1b 401, Snowberger pr 000, Snyder rf 300. TOTALS–31-8-6.
TYRONE LEGION (9): Clark cf 513, Hunter 3b-c 422, Levinson 1b-2b 421, Brooks p 301, Anders c 402, Cunningham lf 310, Hoover ss 411, Sims 2b-1b 422, Rodland rf-3b 400. TOTALS–35-9-12.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Dick’s Pharmacy 300 021 20 8-6-4.
Tyrone Legion 013 004 01 9-12-6.
2B–Clark, Sims, Levinson, Walter.
3B–Clark, Yon.
RBI–Sweeney, Walter, Henry, Yon, Hunter 2, Levinson 2, Brooks, Cunningham, Clark.
SO–Brooks 9, Riggleman 2.
BB–Brooks 5, Riggleman 1.
WP–Brooks. LP–Riggleman.
Records: Tyrone Legion (7-9).
