Bushy Run, Latrobe win opening games at Region 7 tournament

Play began on Day 1 of the Pennsylvania American Legion Baseball Region 7 tournament Saturday.

It didn’t quite finish, though.

Murrysville and St. Michael were tied 8-8 after seven innings when play was suspended because of darkness. The game will resume at 10 a.m. Sunday at Governor’s Park in Bellefonte.

Two other Westmoreland County teams from District 31 did complete their games Saturday.

Bushy Run 1, Beech Creek 0 — Nolan Marasti threw a three-hit shutout, and Chuck Fontana Jr. drove in the only run in the sixth inning as District 31 champion Bushy Run earned a victory at Governor’s Park in Bellefonte.

Marasti struck out seven and walked none.

In the sixth inning, Matt Lichota singled and moved to third on Jason Sabol’s single. After two failed squeeze bunt attempts, Fontana singled home Lichota for the winning run.

Beech Creek features several players who were part of the Central Mountain team that lost to Penn-Trafford in the PIAA Class 5A playoffs.

Bushy Run will play Murrysville at 6 p.m. Sunday at Bald Eagle Area.

Latrobe 4, Huntingdon 2 — Haden Sierocky knocked in two runs and tossed a three-hitter with six strikeouts to lead Latrobe to a victory at Bald Eagle Area. Sierocky had a sacrifice fly in the third inning and an RBI single in the fifth.

Lou Amatucci was 2 for 3, and Logan Bradish knocked in a key insurance run in the sixth inning.

Latrobe will play Bedford at 3 p.m. Sunday at Bald Eagle Area.

In other Region 7 games Sunday, Philipsburg will play Huntingdon at noon at Bald Eagle Area, and Beech Creek will play St. Michael at 12:30 p.m. at Governor’s Park.