Hempfield East Legion forces Game 3; Latrobe, Bushy Run and Murrysville advance to semifinals

Pitchers Grayson Willis and Josh Cayer combined on a three-hit shutout, and Hempfield East forced a Game 3 in the District 31 American Legion playoffs with a 9-0 victory against Young Township.

Game 3 will be played 5:30 p.m. Thursday at West Lebanon.

Willis worked into the six inning. He allowed three hits and struck out seven. Cayer fanned three.

Tyler Martin went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, and Max Short had an inside-the-park home run. Willis was 2 for 2, and Cayer went 1 for 2 with three RBIs.

Hempfield East scored seven runs in the first inning.

The other three series ended.

Latrobe defeated Yough, 18-3, Bushy Run edged Somerset, 4-2, and Murrysville outscored Mt. Pleasant, 12-3.

At Somerset, Tyler Freas hit a two-out, two-run single in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Eagles and win the series 2-0.

Jonny Lovre hit a double for Bushy Run.

Rod Andrews and Brandon Long combined to scatter seven hits.

Kahne Foltz doubled for Somerset.

At Mt. Pleasant, Nolan Boehm drove in four runs with a double and single, and Murrysville used two six-run innings (second and third) to end Mt. Pleasant’s season.

Cole Brinker had three hits, and Max Bernadowski, winning pitcher Colin Watson and Marko Rudek had two hits. Brinker and Watson each had two RBIs.

Cole Chatfield and Jacob Kitz each had two hits for Mt. Pleasant, and Dane Firmstone doubled.

At Herminie, No. 1 seed Latrobe had an 11-run fourth inning to snap a 3-3 tie.

Roger Schreyer had three hits, Erick Batista had two hits and three RBIs and Logan Bradish drove in four runs with a double and single.

Haden Sierocky, Tyler Smith and winning pitcher Cole Short each had two hits.

Latrobe awaits the winner of the Hempfield East/Young Township series. Bushy Run will host Murrysville at noon Saturday.

Latrobe, Bushy Run and Murrysville qualified for the Region 7 tournament in Claysburg.