Smithfield-Fairchance drops Region 6 opener
BEAVER FALLS — Smithfield-Fairchance had Blackhawk on the ropes during Saturday’s contest in the Region 6 American Legion Baseball Tournament at Chippewa Park, but the host team rallied in the bottom of the sixth inning for a 4-1 victory.
Smithfield pitcher Kaiden Brady had a no-hitter through the first three innings before Logan Elich singled to left field with one out. Brady snagged a ground ball on the next batter and turned a double play to escape the frame with his team leading 1-0.
Smithfield used a second double play in the fifth inning to maintain its one-run advantage heading into the final two frames.
Blackhawk had an error go its way to open the bottom of the sixth when Cameron Litzinger reached first base safely as a result of a miscue by Smithfield prior to bunt base hits from Grady Liller and Finn Conlon to load the bases with nobody out.
Litzinger scored to tie the game when Elich was hit-by-pitch before Liller crossed home plate on Carmen Martella’s base hit to center field for a 2-1 advantage.
Smithfield kept the deficit at one when Clay Smith forced Finn Conlon out at home on Teagan Conlon’s fielder’s choice at second base, and Brady induced a flyout to A.J. Watson in left field for two outs, but Elich and Martella were singled home on Santino Vanucci’s base hit to center field for a 4-1 lead.
Brady walked to lead off the top of the seventh inning, but Trey Book recorded the final three outs for the win and complete game.
Brady had a quality outing in yielding four runs (one earned) on six hits over six innings. He didn’t record a strikeout and walked three.
Book allowed one unearned run on six hits over seven frames. He had seven strikeouts and walked one.
Smithfield scored the game’s first run when Matt Malinsky was safe at first base as the result of an error. He advanced to third on a second error before scoring on Kayden Perez’s base hit to center field for a 1-0 lead.
Smithfield had an opportunity to add to its advantage in the top of the sixth inning when Malinsky singled to left field and advanced to second on Perez’s base hit to center field prior to Kanyon Sutton being hit-by-pitch to load the bases with nobody out, but Book recorded three straight strikeouts to escape the frame without allowing a run.
Malinsky and Perez had two hits apiece. Watson and Evan Weakland each had a base hit.
Each of Blackhawk’s six hits came from a different player. The host squad had three bunt base hits.
Blackhawk (10-3) advanced to play Belle Vernon (18-2-1) in the semifinals on Saturday.
Smithfield-Fairchance (12-9) had a 2-1 lead over Baden (7-5-1) in the top of the second inning with two outs in an elimination game Saturday evening, but inclement weather postponed the completion of the contest until Sunday.
Both results were not available at press time, but can be viewed online at heraldstandard.com and in the next edition of the Ãå±±½ûµØ.