The Tyrone Legion began their season the way they left off last year, squaring off against Barkman Oil/Altoona First. Last season Barkman Oil/Altoona First got the better of Tyrone 2-1 in the best of three George B. Kelley Federation semifinals, but Sunday newcomers Tyler Gillmen and Jamie Levinson led the Tyrone Legion to a 7-5 victory to get the 2005 season started off on the right track.
Things didn\’t start off smoothly for Levinson and the Tyrone Legion when Scott Zimmerman opened the game with a double. Zimmerman tried to steal third, and when Derrick Soellner\’s throw ended up in left field, Zimmerman scored. After Levinson struck out Nate Dick, Barkman Oil/Altoona First used three straight hits to load the bases, but Levinson, playing in his first Federation game, fielded a ground ball hit right back at him, went home for one, and Soellner tossed to first for the 1-2-3 double play to end the inning.
The Tyrone Legion threatened to tie the game in their half of the first inning when Mike Romano walked, stole second and moved to third when Caleb Johnson\’s throw went into center field. Moments later Romano was erased when Tyler Golden hit a line drive to third that turned into a double play.
Levinson retired the side in order in the top half of the second, and the Tyrone Legion carried the momentum onto their offense. Levinson walked and Ben Lynn was hit by a pitch. With one out, Jesse Hertzler placed a perfect bunt down the third base line for a single, and Jared Rodgers drove in a run with a bases loaded hit by pitch. With two outs, Golden walked to drive in another run, and Gillmen cleared the bases with a three-run double.
“Gillmen\’s double was huge, but the key to the inning was Jesse Hertzler reaching on that bunt single. Not only did Jesse lie down a nice bunt there, but he played amazing defense throughout the game,” Tyrone Legion Manager Mike Boytim said.
Two Tyrone Legion miscues led to two runs for Barkman Oil/Altoona First in the top of the third to cut the lead to 5-3, and the Tyrone Legion failed to score despite getting two base runners in the bottom of the inning.
However, an inning later, Tyrone added two insurance runs that would prove to be the difference in the game. With an out, Golden singled in front of a Gillmen single that moved Golden to third. With two outs, Gillmen stole second, and Levinson helped himself with a two-run single to right field that stretched the Tyrone Legion lead to four.
Barkman Oil/Altoona First picked up unearned runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to cut the lead in half and set the stage for a dramatic finish.
Levinson walked the first two Barkman Oil/Altoona First batters in the top of the seventh, and Josh Greenleaf worked the count to three balls and one strike before swinging at a pitch high and out of the zone. With the count full, Levinson struck out Greenleaf, and Soellner threw out Johnson trying to steal third for the strike them out, throw them out double play. Rodgers caught an Andrew Lafferty fly ball to left field to close out the game and give the Tyrone Legion a 7-5 win.
“Jamie pitched an amazing game, and he only allowed one earned run. For a team in which most of the players are playing in their first George B. Kelley Federation game they looked poised and confident. Hopefully we can keep riding the momentum the entire season,” Boytim said.
The Tyrone Legion\’s next action will come Wednesday against defending George B. Kelley Federation champion ReMax Realty at Vet\’s Field starting at 5:30 p.m.
Legion Notes: Gillmen went 3-3 and drove in three runs despite feeling sick throughout the game…. Lynn was hit by pitches in each of his first two at bats…. Following the final out a heavy downpour sent everyone home soaking wet….Along with Boytim, former Tyrone Legion players Tyler Mertiff and Jason Wilson served as coaches on their former team.
Tyrone Legion 7 Barkman Oil/Altoona First 5
BARKMAN OIL/ALTOONA FIRST – Zimmerman, cf, 2-1-2; Dick, ss, 3-0-0; Detwiler, p, 3-2-2; Johnson, c, 3-1-1; Lanzendorfer, 3b-1b; 3-0-1; Greenleaf, lf, 3-0-0; Lafferty, 1b-rf, 4-1-1; Blough, 2b, 3-0-0; England, rf, 1 0-0; Talbott, ph, 1-0-0; Ewart, 3b, 1-0-0. TOTALS 27-5-7.
TYRONE LEGION – Romano, cf, 3-0-0; Golden, ss-1b, 3-2-1; Gillmen, dh-rf-ss; 3-1-3; Rodland, rf, 0-0-0; Soellner, c, 3-0-1; Levinson, p, 2-1-1; Lynn, 2b-rf, 1-1-0; Schopp, 1b-rf, 2-0-0; Morrissey, 2b, 1-0-0; Hertzler, 3b, 3-1-1; Rodgers, lf, 2-1-0. TOTALS 23-7-7.
Barkman Oil 102 011 0 5-7-2
Tyrone Legion 050 200 X 7-7-4
2B: Zimmerman 1, Detwiler 1, Gillmen 1.
RBI: Dick 1, Johnson 1, Gillmen 3, Levinson 2, Golden 1, Rodgers 1.
SO: Detwiler 10, Levinson 6.
BB: Detwiler 3, Levinson 5.
WP: Levinson LP: Detwiler.
