Bushy Run advances in Legion District 31 playoffs; Latrobe survives
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Thursday, July 10, 2025 | 9:54 PM
Bushy Run catcher Jake Sincak beats Murrysville pitcher Christian Dunn to the bag for a hit during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Murrysville shortstop Chase Lemke dives into the bag while Bushy Run first basean Jayden Kennedy awaits throw during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Murrysville pitcher Christian Dunn delivers during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Bushy Run’s Jake Sincak scores a run while Murrysville catcher Anthony Jump looks on during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday, July 10, 2025.
Bushy Run’s Carmen Metcalfe rips an RBI single during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Bushy Run shortstop Brody Hoffman is picked off as Murrysville first baseman Ethan Raver applies tag during Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Murrysville shortstop Chase Lemke is tagged out by Bushy Run third baseman Jonny Lovre to end Game 3 of a District 31 American Legion quarterfinal series Thursday.
Bushy Run pitcher Brandon Roher (left) and shortstop Brody Hoffman celebrate a win against Murrysville on Thursday.
What the Bushy Run American Legion baseball team did not do in Game 2 of its District 31 quarterfinal, it did in Game 3.
The Beavers got clutch hits, played flawless defense and got a strong pitching performance from the ace of the WPIAL Class 5A champion Penn-Trafford staff, Brandon Roher, in a 5-1 victory against Murrysville at Penn-Trafford High School.
The win advanced the Beavers to the semifinals, scheduled to begin Saturday, and to the Region 7 tournament at Sidman beginning July 19. Latrobe stayed alive by rallying to defeat Unity, 5-4, in 10 innings. Bushy Run will face the winner of Game 3 from that series.
Roher scattered five hits, struck out six and walked three. Murrysville stranded six runners.
Bushy Run had four hits and scored two runs in the third inning.
Brody Hoffman, who had two hits, scored on a Jonny Lovre hit. And Jake Sincak, who reached on a bunt single, scored on Amauri Thomas’ first hit of the game.
Bushy Run added a run in the fourth inning when Carmen Metcalfe singled home Dom Ponzetti.
“We got the timely hits today, which is always nice,” Bushy Run coach Scott Peyman said. “Everyone played well.”
Peyman said after Game 2 that he would make some lineup changes, and he did. He dropped Thomas to the sixth spot, and the Jeannette junior responded with two hits and three RBIs.
Thomas said he was not bothered by the change.
“It is part of the game,” Thomas said. “I was just happy to contribute.”
Murrysville got on the board in the sixth inning on doubles by Brady Yarabinitz and Gabe Speranza.
Bushy Run got two more in the sixth inning on Thomas’ two-run single.
Murrysville got runners in scoring position but could not get the big hit. Its best chance was in the first inning, but Roher got out of trouble thanks to his defense.
“We had our chances and did not cash in,” Murrysville coach Ryan Catello said. “We needed to score in the first inning and did not. Our pitching kept us in the game, like it has all season. After Tuesday, we were happy to be back here.”
Latrobe 5, Unity 4 — Joey Razza hit a go-ahead RBI single with two outs in the top of the 10th inning to lead the Latrobe Jethawks past Unity Post 982 in Game 2 of a District 31 quarterfinal series. The winner-take-all third game is set for 5:30 p.m. Friday at Legion Keener Park.
Cooper Basciano scored the winning run after leading off the 10th with a single. Duncan Foust went 3 for 5 with a run and an RBI and pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings to pick up the win for the Jethawks. Ty Wisniewski and Mason Hrubes had two hits each.
Latrobe trailed Unity, 4-1, in the top of the seventh inning and scored three unearned runs to tie the score. Unity dropped two fly balls.
Jack Thomas went 4 for 4 with a double, a run and two RBIs for Unity.
American Legion baseball
District 31 playoffs
Quarterfinals (best-of-three)
Thursday’s results
Latrobe 5, Unity 4 (Series tied 1-1)
Bushy Run 5, Murrysville 1 (Bushy Run wins 2-1)
Semifinals
Game 1: Saturday
Game 2: Sunday
Game 3: Monday (if necessary)
Championship and third-place game
Wednesday
Summary
Game 3
BushyRun 5, Murrysville 1
Murrysville 000-001-0—1-5-2
Bushy Run 002-102-x—5-8-0
WP: Bradon Roher. LP: Christian Dunn.
2B: M: Brady Yarabinitz, Gabe Speranza.
Bushy Run wins series, 2-1.
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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