SOMERSET — Murrysville punctuated an improbable run to the Pennsylvania American Legion Region 7 Tournament championship Thursday when Matt Hobi was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 12th inning to give the Eagles a 5-4 win over Claysburg at the Somerset Area High School Field.
Dropped into the elimination bracket by Claysburg, 9-5, in their first game, the Eagles reeled off five consecutive wins, including a 10-0 Mercy Rule shutout against Claysburg that got them to championship day at Clearfield.
Murrysville (27-9) reached the title with a come-from-behind 7-5 victory over Beech Creek and was leading Claysburg 3-2 in the bottom of the seventh inning at the Lawrence Township Recreation Park Field when a thunderstorm caused the game to be suspended.
The Eagles extended their edge on Matt Frey’s run-scoring double in the seventh inning, but Claysburg (27-5) forced extra innings with two runs in the eighth.
A walk, Ben Ramey’s single and an error filled the sacks in the 12th for Hobi, who entered the game in the ninth inning when Anthony Falce shed his catching gear to pitch in relief.
Murrysville, which lost in the Westmoreland County League semifinals but got a second chance to advance when runner-up Irwin did not have enough players for the region tourey, will play Region 2 champ North Parkland Tuesday in the opening round of the state tournament at Boyertown.
GAME 15
Claysburg 000 101 020 000 – 4
Murrysville 100 101 100 001 – 5
(C) Austin McMonagle, Mike Mock (7) and Zach Cox; (M) Brett Myers, Casen Kolinsky (8), Anthony Falce (9) and Falce, Matt Hobi (9).
W – Falce. L – Mock.
Two hits – (C) Mock.
2B – (C) Mock; (M) Frey. HR – (C) Mock.