Tyrone wins Curve Classic Tournament 11-0 in final championship game against Bishop Guilfoyle. Congratulations! Front (L to R): Dylan Vipond, Zack LeGars, Aiden Coelman. Middle: Coach Dave Mease, Caiden Bonsell. Ryan Light, Balin Hand, Michael Buck, Bryce Hunter. Back: Coach Kevin Soellner, Brendan Grazier, Luke Brooks, Nick Lehner, David Lang, Rodney Shultz, Ross Gampe, Brandon Lucas, Blaine Hoover, Cortlynd Rhoades, Coach Jim Lang

Golden Eagles beat Altoona, BG to win Altoona Curve Classic

• By MICHAEL STONER Daily Herald Sports Writer

For the first time in program history, the Tyrone Golden Eagles were invited to the Altoona Curve Classic and wasted no time proving they belong. They blanked Bishop Guilfoyle in the championship game 10-0 to bring the trophy back to Tyrone.

They were led throughout the tournament by event MVP Brendan Grazier and their strong stable of pitching arms. Zack LeGars got the nod from manager Kevin Soellner and did not disappoint. He pitched a complete game one-hit shutout to propel the Eagles to victory.

Tyrone got the scoring started early in the first inning when the unquestioned captain of the Golden Eagles, Rodney Shultz, lined a double over the BG first baseman, scoring Blaine Hoover and Bryce Hunter and giving Tyrone a 2-0 lead. Tyrone added another run in the inning when a perfectly executed steal by Shultz, allowing Brandon Lucas to come home from third and gave Tyrone a 3-0 lead.

Grazier solidified his place for tournament MVP in the first inning when he hit the ball a mile high in the air and hit the bottom of the fence, nearly going over the fence and onto the iconic roller coaster just beyond the right field wall.

Even though LeGars was dominating the Marauder lineup, the offense refused to let up. In the bottom half of the second inning, Brandon Lucas drove a ball into left field for a double, driving in Aiden Coleman and Dylan Vipond. Lucas would later come in to score on another RBI double by Rodney Shultz.

BG got their only hit of the game in the top of the third inning, but the baserunner was quickly erased on a perfectly executed hidden ball trick by first basemen Ross Gampe. He acted like he was giving the ball back to his pitcher, waited for the BG runner to take his lead and then tagged him out, ending BG’s only opportunity to score.

The Eagle defense shined again in the top of the third inning when Michael Boston lifted a ball into foul territory that looked to be headed for the seats. Ross Gampe had other plans as he flew over the railing into the seats and snagged the ball out of the air for the first out of the inning.

The Golden Eagles walked it off in mercy-rule fashion in the bottom of the fifth inning, courtesy of the man who pitched them into the championship game. Gampe lined a ball down the left field line just out of the reach of left fielder Michael Lamb, allowing Shultz and Lucas to score and securing the championship for Tyrone.

The Golden Eagles will be back in action Monday afternoon as they travel to Bald Eagle in the battle of the Eagles in a Mountain League game where Tyrone looks to get back on the defense of their 2019 title. 

Semifinals

Tyrone 7,

Altoona 1

The Tyrone Golden Eagles stayed red hot in the semifinals of the Curve Classic Saturday morning as they defeated Altoona by a score of 7-1. They were led by the arm of Gampe and the power bat of Grazier.

Gampe went the distance, throwing a complete game and only allowing one run on four hits while striking out two. The Tyrone offense was a one-man wrecking crew led by Grazier. With Tyrone trailing 1-0 in the fourth inning and the bases loaded, Grazier roped a triple to center field, clearing the bases and giving Tyrone a 4-1 lead after a sac fly by Coleman scored Grazier.

The Eagle defense remained on point as well, not giving Altoona any free runs. A leadoff double in the bottom of the fourth gave the Lions some hope until a diving play by right fielder Aiden Coleman ended the inning and preserved the Golden Eagles 4-1 lead.

Grazier’s monster game at the plate continued in the top half of the fifth when he once again found himself up to bat with the bases loaded. He smoked a ball into the right field gap, once again clearing the bases as Shultz, Hoover, and Vipond crossed home.

The career game from Grazier was all Tyrone needed to move into the championship game.

Championship

Tyrone – 10

Hoover lf 410, Hunter cf 310, Lucas 3b 342, Shultz ss 323, Gampe 1b 301 , Grazier dh 301, Buck 201, Coleman 312, Legars p 201

Bishop Guilfoyle- 0

Rother ss 200, Boston 1b 200, Lewis p-cf-ss 200, Beauchamp 2b 200, Swineford 3b 200, McNelly 3b 200, Dombrosky 200, Wydant 101, Harbaugh rf 100

Score by Innings

Bishop Guilfoyle  000   00 –  0     1   3

Tyrone               331   22 – 11   11   1

Errors: Lucas 1, Beauchamp 1, Rother 1, Boston 1

Pitching

Tyrone: Legars: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO.

Bishop Guilfoyle: Lewis: 1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 SO; Dombrosky: 2 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO; Degerinaro: 1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO; Negola, 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Winning pitcher: LeGars. Losing pitcher: Lewis.

Semifinals

Tyrone – 7

Hoover lf 310, Lucas 3b 410, Shultz ss 321, Gampe p 210, Grazier 1b 412, Lehner dh 200, Lang 2b 300, Hunter cf 200, Coleman rf 100

Altoona- 1

Green cf 300, Steinbugl ss 311, Day rf 200, Manley 1b 301, Muffie 2b 301, Wilson eh 301, Rhodes p-lf 300, Moyer 3b 200, Carothers c 200

Score by Innings

Tyrone  000   430   0 – 7   3   1

Altoona 100   000   0 – 1   4   1

Errors: Lang 1, Steinbugl 1

Pitching

Tyrone: Gampe 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 SO.

Altoona: Rhodes 4 IP 2 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO; Alwine, 2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO; Weyandt 0.2 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 0 SO

Winning pitcher: Gampe. Losing pitcher: Rhodes.