Statement win
Smithfield-Fairchance Legion shows it\'s serious contender with win over Uniontown
Belle Vernon has been at the top of the Fayette American Legion baseball standings all season with Uniontown and Thomas Jefferson battling for second and third place.
There is another team that’s been lurking as a fourth top threat to be one of the two teams out of Fayette’s division that will advance to the regional tournament at Blackhawk.
Smithfield-Fairchance made its case as a strong contender with a gutsy 4-2 win over visiting Uniontown on Tuesday to improve to 8-5.
“It was certainly a statement win for us,” S-F manager Tony Watson said.
Smithfield-Fairchance pitchers AJ Watson and Clay Smith both worked their way out of several jams, Matt Malinsky knocked in two runs and Evan Weakland was 2 for 2 with a walk in the victory.
Uniontown fell to 9-4 in Fayette league play and now trails first-place Belle Vernon (10-1) by two games. Thomas Jefferson is 7-4.
AJ Watson started on the mound and went five innings in earning the win. He gave up two runs (one earned) on four hits with five walks and seven strikeouts.
“AJ had a nice outing today against a solid offensive team,” Tony Watson said. “He was able to pitch out of a few jams and we played good defense behind him.”
Smith pitched two scoreless innings in relief to notch the save, allowing only one hit but four walks with two strikeouts.
Uniontown loaded the bases with no outs against Smith in the top of the seventh on a single by Shane Kelly and walks by Lane Smiley and Eahn Stevenson. Smith escaped the jam by getting a pop out to shortstop Malinsky and a pair of line outs to centerfielder Weakland to end it.
Smithfield-Fairchance jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning against Uniontown starting and losing pitcher Smiley, who surrendered four runs (three earned) on five hits with four walks and four strikeouts in four innings.
Weakland led off with a single, took second on AJ Watson’s walk and scored on Malinsky’s single to right.
“Weakland is a prototypical leadoff guy and always seems to find his way on base,” Tony Watson said, noting the importance of his team grabbing the early lead. “He battles in each at-bat.”
AJ Watson went to third when Kayden Perez hit into a force out then came home to make it 2-0 when an error was committed on the play.
Smithfield-Fairchance made it 3-0 in the fourth.
Perez drew a lead-off walk, took second when Kanyon Sutton also walked and scored on Ben Lilley’s RBI single to right.
Uniontown, which stranded 12 runners, finally broke through with a run in the fifth.
Jameson Carter reached on a one-out error, S-F’s lone fielding miscue, and Kelly hit into a force out. Smiley walked and Kelly scored on Stevenson’s single to left to make it 3-1.
Stevenson had two of Uniontown’s five hits.
Smithfield-Fairchance bumped the lead back up to three in the bottom of the frame.
Kaiden Brady singled to center and moved to second on Weakland’s walk. Uniontown manager Rich Franks called on Noah Zawislan to relieve Smiley but he walked AJ Watson to load the bases and Brady scored on Malinsky’s sacrifice fly for a 4-1 advantage.
“Malinsky came up clutch today when we needed it most,” Tony Watson said of his shortstop. “Not to mention he was stellar defensively today.”
Zawislan got a fly out and Uniontown then turned a double play on Perez’ line out to shortstop Stevenson to prevent further damage, and went on to pitch a scoreless sixth.
Uniontown got to within 4-2 with a run in the top of the sixth.
Sevi Vecchiolla doubled, prompting Tony Watson to call on Smith to relieve AJ Watson but a pair of wild pitches allowed Vecchiolla to score.
After walks to Brayden Hinzy and Aiden Milsom, Smith got a fly out and strikeout to keep the lead at two, then survived the hectic seventh to end it.
“I’m really proud of how the team is coming together in such a short amount of time,” Tony Watson said. “Let’s hope we can keep some momentum heading into the playoffs.”
The two teams who reach the final of the Fayette tournament will advance to the regional.