Bushy Run Legion's season ends with 1st loss of regional tourney

Beech Creek captured the American Legion Region 7 title Tuesday by winning three games.

It started the day by defeating Murrysville, 11-4, in the completion of a game suspended by rain and darkness Monday at Bald Eagle Area High School in Milesburg.

It followed by knocking off unbeaten Philipsburg, 5-3, in eight innings in the semifinals, and Beech Creek completed the day by beating District 31 champion Bushy Run, 6-4, in the championship game.

It was Bushy Run’s only loss in the tournament. Bushy Run (4-1) defeated Beech Creek, 1-0, to open the tournament Saturday.

Brody Hoffman gave Bushy Run a 1-0 lead with a single in the third inning.

Beech Creek took advantage of three Bushy Run errors to score four runs in the top of the fifth inning and grab a 4-1 lead. Bushy Run had seven errors in the game.

“We just didn’t play our best game,” Bushy Run assistant Jay Miller said. “Brandon (Roher) pitched a great game. We just didn’t support him. We also struggled at the plate.”

Bushy Run got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth inning on a bases-loaded walk to Chuck Fontana Jr. and an RBI groundout by Carmen Metcalfe.

Beech Creek added two insurance runs in the top of the seventh inning, and Peyton Bigler homered in the bottom of the inning for Bushy Run.

Fontana Jr. drove in four runs, and winning pitcher Jon Lovre only allowed two for Bushy Run in its 12-2 semifinal win against Bedford.

Bushy Run pounded out 15 hits, including three each from Matt Lichota and Jason Sabol.

Fontana, Metcalfe and Gavin Good had two hits apiece, and Ian Temple, Metcalfe and Good had doubles.

Lovre allowed five hits and struck out seven.

Beech Creek’s first win of day ended Murrysville’s season.

Murrysville (1-2) grabbed a 3-0 lead in the second inning on a hit by Austin Kerns, a walk to Max Bernadowski and a fielder’s choice by Cole Brinker.

Marko Rudek had two hits for Murrysville.

Region 6 — Charleroi and New Brighton will meet for the Region 6 title Wednesday after posting wins Tuesday. Charleroi scored three in the top of the eighth to beat Hopewell, 7-4. New Brighton eliminated Connellsville, 5-2. Charleroi is 4-0 in the tournament. New Brighton’s only loss came to Charleroi, 5-1, in a game completed earlier Tuesday.