Shayne Tate broke open a one-run game with a bases loaded triple in the bottom of the sixth inning to support Tyler Gillmen (3-0) during his complete game victory on the mound.
“Other than our walk-off hits against Juniata VFW and ReMax this year, Shayne’s triple was the biggest hit of our season,” Tyrone Legion Manager Mike Boytim said. “Shayne was adapting to Locker Room’s pitcher in each at bat, and by the fourth one he had his number.”
The triple came in a sixth inning that seemed as if it would go quietly. Locker Room hurler Alan Thompson struck out the first two batters he faced, but with the score tied 4-4 Justin Schopp worked a walk and stole second. Tyler Golden followed by hitting a grounder that took a huge hop and glanced off Locker Room second baseman Andy McGough’s glove. Schopp scored, and Tyrone loaded the bases when Gillmen was hit by a pitch, and Jamie Levinson reached on an error prior to Tate’s triple.
The Tyrone Legion added two more when Tate scored on a wild pitch, Brock Anders was hit by a pitch, and Jesse Hertzler and Cory Perry hit back-to-back singles to plate Anders.
Until his defense failed him, Thompson had been rolling along smoothly, shutting Tyrone out in the first four innings while Locker Room built a 3-0 lead. Derek Coppersmith and Thompson each doubled during Locker Room’s rallies, and Nicholas Yon drove in two runs.
Tyrone scored their first run, and captured their first lead, in the fifth inning. With one out, Schopp doubled. Three errors later, followed by singles by Levinson and Tate, the score was 4-3.
“We really fought for the victory,” Boytim said. “Tyler Gillmen was excellent on the mound today, and what impressed me the most was that he got the ball thrown at him all day when he was at the plate, but he kept his composure on the mound and put Locker Room away in order in the last inning.”
Gillmen, who struck out 10, was hit by two pitches and knocked backward by another in a previous at bat.
With the victory, the Tyrone Legion moved two games above .500 (5-3) for the first time this season. They are also involved in two suspended games, one being a 12-12 tie in the top of the eighth inning against Park Furniture which will be made up June 29th before their next game against Park, and another in which Tyrone leads Dick’s Pharmacy 10-1 in the top of the third inning.
The Legion will play their second game against Dick’s Pharmacy Saturday night under the lights of Vet’s Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m.
“We jumped on them early last time, but we’ll have to take extra care not to let that get to our heads, because in this league anything can happen,” Boytim said.
Sprankle’s Auto Outlet Notes: Tate’s triple was the Legion’s second of the year; Schopp hit the first… Tyrone drew only two walks, a season low, but were hit by three pitches… Perry was 2-4 in his first start… Gillmen has thrown two consecutive complete game victories.
Tyrone Legion 10 Locker Room 4
LOCKER ROOM – Coppersmith, ss-p, 4-1-2; McGough, 2b, 4-0-0; Thompson, p-ss, 3-1-2; Wilt, c, 2-2-1; Yon, 3b, 4-0-2; Albright, cf, 3-0-0; Ryan, lf, 4-0-0; Ford, 1b, 3-0-0; Dunning, rf, 2-0-0. TOTALS 29-4-7.
TYRONE LEGION – Schopp, cf, 3-2-2; Golden, 1b, 4-2-0; Gillmen, p, 1-2-1; Levinson, ss, 4-2-1; Tate, 2b, 4-1-2; Anders, c, 3-1-0; Hertzler, 3b, 4-0-2; Perry, rf, 4-0-2; Rodland, lf, 3-0-0; Oswalt, ph, 1-0-0. TOTALS 31-10-10.
Locker Room 100 021 0 4-7-6
Tyrone Legion 000 046 X 10-10-3
3B: Tate
2B: Thompson 2, Coppersmith, Schopp
RBI: Yon 2, Thompson, Dunning, Tate 3, Levinson, Perry.
SO: Gillmen 10, Thompson 5, Coppersmith 1.
BB: Gillmen 6, Thompson 2.
WP: Gillmen LP: Thompson.
