Yough baseball finishes 3rd at Region 7 tournament

By: Paul Schofield
Sunday, August 9, 2020 | 7:21 PM

Yough American Baseball League coach Craig Spisak said he couldn’t have been happier about his team’s effort at the Region 7 tournament this weekend.

A third-place finish, the best among the three Westmoreland County American League teams entered in the tournament at Hollidaysburg, made Spisak a proud coach.

Yough finished the three-day tournament with a 3-2 record after defeating Mifflin County, 7-3, in the morning game before falling 10-1 to Claysburg in the mid-afternoon contest.

That game was scoreless until Claysburg scored five runs in the fifth inning.

Ray Halahurich, seldom used on the mound this season, pitched a complete game in the morning.

He scattered nine hits and got sold defense behind him.

Michael Bell had three hits and three RBIs for Yough, and Cody Ulander had three hits, including a double, and scored three times.

Vinny Martin had two hits, including a double, and Halahurich helped his own cause with two hits.

“Ray saved the game against Bushy Run on Saturday and did a great job Sunday,” Spisak said. “I can’t complain about their effort. I was proud of the group. They’ve been with me for four years, and they and the previous group showed the underclassmen what it took to be good.”

In the second game, Claysburg got to a tired pitching staff and pulled away late.

Steve Manon took the loss, Kam Pritts had two hits and Martin doubled.

“Vinny had a great weekend on the mound and at the plate,” Spisak said. “We just didn’t have enough pitching.”

If Yough was to win the tournament, it would have had to play four games Sunday.

“I feel comfortable that we were only one of the teams that drew from one school.” Spisak said. “I hope the underclassmen grow from this experience.

“Now they now what it takes to be successful. The past two teams are ready to pass the torch to the younger kids.”

Latrobe and Bushy Run were eliminated from the tournament Saturday.

Paul Schofield is a TribLive reporter covering high school and college sports and local golf. He joined the Trib in 1995 after spending 15 years at the Daily Courier in Connellsville, where he served as sports editor for 14 years. He can be reached at pschofield@triblive.com.

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