Mike Vukovcan MT. LEBANON– After a champions effort, Beaver County’s Team 376 All-Star teams’ quest to qualify for the 2025 Pony League World Series has come to an end.
In a marathon day of competition that I’m not totally sure is fair (but that could be a separate story), Team 376 played 3 games and eventually lost to a talented South Hills All-Star team.
To properly set the scenario, Team 376 entered Friday with a game against Mt. Lebanon. If they won, that game, their day would’ve been over with and they would have entered action today, with a record of 2-0 in a double-elimination tournament.
However, they lost a heartbreaker to Mt. Lebanon, 8-7. That meant that they would play another game at 3:30 against the Founder League All-Stars in order to stay alive in the tournament. Team 376 won that game 19-9 and were still alive.
But they then had to play one more game at 6 PM against South Hills in order to once again stay alive and as I mentioned, that didn’t happen.
I’m not making excuses, just presenting the facts and putting everything into proper context.
These 14-year-old kids arrived at the field at Noon and were on the field until 8:28 PM playing in temperatures of mid 90’s. During the first game, the feel like temperature was 109 degrees (per AccuWeather). Throughout the rest of the day, the temps didn’t drop much.
After each game, they were given approximately 20-25 minutes of rest and then had to get back playing.
Yes, this could’ve been erased with a win over Mt. Lebanon, but this isn’t about Team 376 because another team would’ve faced the same scenario. With such a memorable opportunity at stake in the Pony League World Series, a better format needs to be come up with.
In the end, there’s only so much pitching available in 24 hours, body’s break down and fatigue sets in, which was a factor yesterday. Not to say they would’ve beaten the South Hills team, but they entered the game with 2 strikes against them already.
Enough of that as I’ll do my best to recap yesterday’s 8 HOUR AND 28 MINUTE DAY.
Team 376 vs. Lebo 14U:
*The offenses were rolling early as Mt. Lebanon jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but Team 376 tied the game in the bottom of the 3rd inning. Luke Vukovcan and Dylan Hamilton led off with singles. Then with 1 out, Brandon Woelfel hit an RBI single which brought in Vukovcan to cut the deficit to 5-3. Next up, Caleb Haney launched a deep sacrifice fly to center field to score Hamilton and Team 376 now trailed by just one. Then with 2 outs, OC Burkhead laced a line-drive double to left which brought in Burkhead and the game was tied at 5.
*In the Top of the 4th, Team 376 got some nice defense as Mt. Lebo had the bases loaded with 1 out, but the defense was able to turn a 6-4-3 double play. Woelfel fielded the ball quickly, quickly flipped it to Burkhead, who fired it to Cole Harvey at first. Game remained tied at 5-5.
*In the Top of the 5th, Hamilton pitched an easy and effective 1-2-3 frame as he got three ground balls to Harvey, Gavin Latchaw and Woelfel.
*Team 376 took the lead in the Bottom of the 5th as Woelfel crushed a double to left field with 1 out. Woelfel was as solid of a hitter in this tournament as anyone on any team. In this game, Brandon went 3-4 with 2 doubles. That was followed by an RBI double by Haney, who was doubles machine this entire tournament. Team 376 led 6-5. Next up, Burkhead followed that up with a third consecutive double and the lead increased to 7-5.
Unfortunately, Mt. Lebo scored two runs in the Top of the 6th, and they held Team 376 scoreless for the last 2 innings.
FINAL SCORE: MT. LEBO 14U 8 TEAM 376 7
*Inside the Box Score: Woelfel 3-4 (2 doubles) with 2 runs and an RBI, Haney 2-3 with 1 run and 3 RBI, Burkhead 2-4 (2 doubles) with 2 RBI
Team 376 vs. The Founder League:
The story of this game was the production from the top of the lineup for Team 376 and the outstanding pitching effort form Gavin Latchaw. After entering in the second inning, Latchaw was outstanding for the next four innings, only allowing one run in the 3rd thru 5th innings. In the 6th inning, with his pitch count in the mid 80’s and the temps still high, Latchaw gave up a couple of runs, but the game was already in-hand.
As I said mentioned earlier, Woelfel was outstanding the entire day. After going 3-4 in the first game, Brandon followed that up by going 4 for 4 (3B), with 5 RBIs.
*Team 376 got things started early as Hamilton, who was also a force this tournament, singled the start the game. Dylan quickly scored on a line drive triple to center field by JJ Kearney, who gutted this game out. Kearney then scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Woelfel and Team 376 led 2-0 after one.
*The Founders scored 4 runs in the bottom of the 2nd but that was the last time they led for the game. Hamilton, who was 3 for 5 in this game, once again led off with a single and would score on an RBI single by Woelfel. Hanvey then drove in Kearney, who walked, with an RBI groundout. That tied the game at 4. Next up, Noah Kraus did the same thing as his grounder to second scored Woelfel. Team 376 led 5-4.
*That’s when Latchaw took over. Gavin started the inning with a strikeout, followed by a fly out to Kraus in right field. After 2-out single, the inning ended as Vukovcan threw out the runner trying to steal second base.
*Team 376 put up 4 runs in the Top of the 4th inning. Vukovcan led off with a walk and then stole second base. Colby Cutshall then hit an opposite field single to right field, which scored Vukovcan. Team 376 6-4. After scoring a run on an error, the fourth run of the inning came home on an RBI single to left by Woelfel, scoring Hamilton. Team 376 8-4. The final run of the 4th inning scored on a bases loaded walk to Kraus. Team 376 19-9.
*Four more runners crossed the plate in the 5th inning. Andrew Arzberger led off with a sharp single to center field. After stealing second and advancing to 3rd on a wild pitch, Arzberger scored on a sacrifice fly to center by Latchaw. Hamilton then singled (again) and that was followed by a walk to Kearney and both runners scored as Woelfel hit a line drive triple to left field. Team 376 led 13-5.
*Latchaw was outstanding in the 5th inning as he struck out 2 more batters and the 3rd out came on a fly out to Kraus in right field.
*Heading to the 7th inning, Team 376 lead 16-8 and were able to add on 3 more runs. Woelfel led off with a single to center. After 1 out, Kraus walked, and both runners scored on an RBI double to right field by Burkhead. The final run scored on an RBI double to right field by Vukovcan. Team 376 led 19-8.
*Colby Cutshall entered in the 7th inning and his stuff was impressive as he struck out the side.
FINAL SCORE: TEAM 376 19 THE FOUNDERS 9
Team 376 vs. South Hills All-Stars:
*South Hills jumped out to a quick 7-1 lead after 2 innings. I want to point out and be very clear that despite what I said at the beginning of this article, this South Hills All-Stars team is outstanding. That had multiple pitchers that could throw in the 80’s and a lineup from top to bottom that can hit. Their cleanup hitter, Johnny Parris, hit a deep 3-run HR and is an elite player in the entire state of Pennsylvania. A definite game to watch.
Hopewell RBI getters in this game were Haney and Arzberger with hits collected by Hamilton, Kearney, Haney, Harvey and Burkhead (2B). Credit to the South Hills center fielder, Stock, who made three above average plays defensively.
Tip of the cap to the job that Haney did on the mound against this formidable lineup and the guts in which this entire team competed with. Despite trailing throughout the game, no one on this team quit and the effort was outstanding.
FINAL SCORE: SOUTH HILLS 9 TEAM 376
Despite the outcome, this was an outstanding opportunity and memory for every player on the roster.
