Belle Vernon sweeps Smithfield-Fairchance for league title
Belle Vernon was clicking on all cylinders in Tuesday’s game against Smithfield-Fairchance in Game 2 of the Fayette County American Legion Baseball league playoffs at German-Masontown Park in Masontown.
Belle Vernon Post 484 had 16 hits while only allowing three in a 14-0 victory over the home team, which was called after five innings due to the 10-run rule.
Belle Vernon (17-2-1) won the best-of-three series, 2-0, and will turn its attention to the Region 6 tournament that will begin on Saturday at Chippewa Park in Beaver Falls. Smithfield-Fairchance (12-8) has also advanced to the tournament as the No. 2 seed from the Fayette County league.
Belle Vernon will play Baden at 11:45 a.m. on Saturday. Smithfield-Fairchance will face host Blackhawk at 2:30 p.m.
The winners of both games will play on Sunday at 2:30 p.m., while the losing teams will compete in an elimination game on Saturday evening at 5:15 p.m. The tournament will conclude on Monday, and the champion will advance to the state legion tournament.
Max Manley led Belle Vernon on Tuesday evening with four hits, including a double, and scored four runs from the top of the order. Jack Crovak had three singles, three RBIs and scored three runs. Crovak and Vito Francia were co-leaders in runs batted in for three. Francia had two base hits.
Jordan Jerome and Cole Matusik each had two hits, including a double. Manley, Vincenzo Francia and Nate Grimm also doubled for Belle Vernon.
The visitors opened the scoring with two runs in the first inning before scoring four in the third for a 6-0 lead. A six-run fourth frame extended the advantage to 12-0. Belle Vernon added two more runs in the top of the fourth.
Ian Porter earned the win on the mound after pitching four scoreless innings. He yielded two hits while striking out four and walking one. Aiden Shaffer closed out the game in the fifth with a scoreless frame. He allowed one hit, struck out one and didn’t issue a walk.
Jake Bellish, Clay Smith and Kanyon Sutton each had a single for Smithfield-Fairchance.
The home team’s best opportunity to crack the scoreboard came in the bottom of the third inning when Nico Edwards walked to lead off the frame prior to advancing to second on Smith’s base hit to center field.
Smithfield-Fairchance had runners at first and second with no one out in the fourth following Sutton’s single to right field and Kayden Perez was safe at first base on an error, but Porter was able to escape the jam unscathed. Bellish singled to left field with two outs in the fifth inning.