Kittanning Team Qualifies for PA Youth American Legion State Finals
An 11-man Armstrong American Legion Team qualified yesterday for the Pennsylvania Youth American Legion State Championship Baseball Tournament.
by Jonathan Weaver
A teenage American Legion team representing Kittanning qualified yesterday for the Pennsylvania Youth American Legion State Championship Baseball Tournament.
The tournament begins Saturday, August 1 at First Commonwealth Bank Field in Homer City in Indiana County.
2015 Western Regional Champion Penn Township (of Westmoreland County) will be joined by regional runner-up Wesleyville (Erie County) and Armstrong (Kittanning/Ford City).
Armstrong Post 325 Coach Ed Morris qualified for the tournament yesterday after winning over Millcreek 19-17 Wednesday morning. Both teams had two wins and two losses and required the game to decide the third-place qualifier.
“We’ve accomplished a lot - we’re going to play loose and we’ll see what we can accomplish at states,” Coach Morris said. “We’re going to definitely go for it all, that’s for sure. Nobody thought we’d be (in the tournament).”
Armstrong was losing 4-0 in the top of the 2nd inning before scoring 19 runs in the next four innings.
First Basemen Hunter Ploski and Catcher Hunter Gross each had three hits for Armstrong, with Ploski and Catcher/Outfielder Dawson Porter each knocking in three of their teammates.
Starting Pitcher Noah Cyphert pitched the first 3 2/3 innings with 14 first-pitch strikes to allow for his team to mount the quick comeback and hold onto the lead in the seven-inning game (also held in Homer City).
The tournament begins Saturday at First Commonwealth Bank Field in Homer City (Indiana County). (submitted photo)
The four Eastern Regional Champions include Boyertown (Berks County); Spring City (Chester County); Muhlenberg (Berks County); and Wayne (Delaware County).
There will be four games to open the state finals on Saturday with two doubleheader sessions at First Commonwealth Bank Field.
Armstrong’s first game of the double-elimination tournament begins at 11AM, when they play the Spring City Red Sox from Chester County.
There will also be four games on Sunday, and the tournament will continue through Wednesday, August 5.
The Homer City Area Athletic Booster Club is the host organization and will be operating a full concession stand throughout both tournaments, with plenty of ethnic and specialty foods, according to General Chairman Mark Bertig.
“We appreciate the support of the greater Indiana County business community and fans from throughout the region,” Bertig said via press release. “We have heard a lot of comments about some of the strong teams from the East, and the Western Regional has been very competitive as well so it promises to be some really good amateur baseball.
We hope the community will come out and sup-port us, and the hard work that goes into bringing events like this into our county.”
There is a $5 adult and $2 student admission charge the first day which includes game program on opening day and fans admission wristband is good for all four games.
Coach Morris hopes for a big local turnout.
“It’s exciting baseball,” Coach Morris said.
Weather permitting, all but two games will be played at First Commonwealth Bank Field with the other two at the East Pike Rec Complex in Indiana.
Local Sports | jweaver July 30, 2015
