California clinches Fayette Legion crown
Uniontown Legion's third baseman Adam Crayton (15) loses the ball on a throw from first allowing for a safe slide for California's Derek Anderson (17).
Uniontown's Tyler Mayers forces the out at second against California's Matt Sabatini on throw from the outfield.
California Legion's pitcher Matt Sabatini winds up for pitch against Uniontown in the Fayette American Legion championship game Wednesday at Hutchinson Field in South Union Township.
Uniontown Legion's Tyler Dubovich winds up for a pitch against California Wednesday afternoon at Hutchinson Field in South Union Township. Dubovich's fine pitching performance was offset by several costly errors.
Uniointown Legion's short stop Max Beatty steps over California's Mike Knox forcing the out at second base as teammate Tyler Mayers backs up the play.
HOPWOOD 鈥� Matt Sabatini had been there before when the outcome was not good. This time he was determined to avoid the same ending.
Sabatini pitched a complete game on Wednesday to lead California to a 4-3 victory over Uniontown to win the Fayette County American Legion Championship Series in two games.
When Uniontown loaded the bases with one out in the ninth inning, Sabatini said it reminded him of when he was pitching for Beth-Center High School in an eventual WPIAL playoff loss to Neshannock this past season.
鈥淚 decided I was not going to let it happen again,鈥� said Sabatini after getting a strikeout and pop out to end the game.
California (19-3) won the game despite scoring all four unearned runs without an actual run batted in, having four base runners thrown out, and hitting into two double plays.
On the other hand, Uniontown pitcher Tyler Dubovich deserved a better fate after his team committed five errors through the first four innings that made the difference in the outcome.
Uniontown (17-6) took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning when Max Beatty led off with a single and scored on Bobby King蘑菇视频 two out single. King scored on a throwing error on a ball hit by Adam Crayton.
California tied the game in the second when Sabatini singled, advanced to second on Tommy Sparrow蘑菇视频 sacrifice bunt, and scored on a throwing error. Tyler Sabatula scored the second run on a Uniontown error on a ball hit by Chase Roman.
The visitors went ahead 4-2 in the fourth with the help of three Uniontown errors on the same play. With two outs, Derek Anderson scored when Roman was safe on an error, the ball was then thrown away at third base, and Roman moved to third on a throwing error to home plate. Roman then scored on a wild pitch.
Trailing 4-2, Uniontown cut the lead to one in the fifth when Crayton蘑菇视频 two out single drove in Jake Riddell.
Uniontown failed to score with two runners on base with one out in the seventh, and then loaded the bases in the ninth.
Pinch hitter Mike Bochnak singled to lead off the ninth and Beatty bunted pinch runner Adam Ross to second. Riddell singled and took second on a throw to home plate. Dubovich was intentionally walked to load the bases, but Sabatini got his eighth strikeout and pop up to end the game.
California蘑菇视频 playoff championship followed its regular season championship, and the team will represent Fayette County in the Regional playoffs beginning Saturday at Shaler High School in Pittsburgh.
鈥�(Uniontown) earned the first couple runs, and we took advantage of their mistakes,鈥� California coach Chase Roman said. 鈥淲e made a lot of base running mistakes or we could have had a lot more runs.鈥�
Roman said Sabatini蘑菇视频 effort was his first nine-inning complete game of the season. 鈥淚 had Tommy Sparrow warming up in the sixth just in case.鈥� He added, 鈥淯niontown gave us a fight. They did a great job.鈥�
Uniontown coach Scott DeBerry said he was proud of his team, 鈥渂ut that doesn鈥檛 make me feel any better. We shot ourselves in the foot all day. If you had told me we鈥檇 hold (California) to four runs a game, I鈥檇 have said we鈥檇 win both games. You never want it to end this way, but we battled.鈥�
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