Dallastown Legion team earns another Region 4 win

• Dallastown starter Avery Strayer pitched seven innings of one-hit shutout baseball.
• Tye Golden led Dallastown's offense with two RBIs.
• Dallastown is now 2-1 in the Region 4 double-elimination playoffs.

The Dallastown American Legion baseball team has survived another elimination game.

Post 605 cruised to a 7-1 victory over Lawnton on Monday morning at Greene Township Park near Chambersburg in Franklin County in the Region 4 Tournament.

Dallastown improved to 2-1 in the double-elimination tournament and will now play Tuesday in another elimination game vs. Ephrata at a time to be determined at Greene Township Park. Ephrata beat Dallastown, 5-1, on Saturday in the Region 4 opener for both teams.

Tuesday's game vs. Ephrata will either be at 1 p.m. or 5 p.m. The game time will be determined after the conclusion of the Carlisle-Ephrata game at 11 a.m. Tuesday. Carlisle was leading Ephrata 10-4 after the seventh inning on Monday when the game was suspended because of darkness. If Ephrata loses, the Dallastown-Ephrata game will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday. If Ephrata wins, the game will be played at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Dallastown starter Avery Strayer was stellar on the mound Monday, allowing just one hit over seven shutout innings. He walked two and struck out five. He needed just 87 pitches. The only hit he gave up was a leadoff single in the fourth inning, but that runner was erased on a fly-ball double play thanks to a strong catch and throw from Nick Parker in right field. Strayer got relief help from Zach Ness, who pitched the final two innings.

"It was a very early game," Dallastown manager Phil Jeanmenne said. "It started at 9:30 (a.m.) and we met in Dallastown at 6:30 (a.m.). We got our pitcher (Strayer) a hotel room to take out the hour and a half bus ride up there (for him). (Strayer) took command of the strike zone from the first inning on. He didn't face more than four batters in any one inning."

Jeanmenne said Strayer's performance was almost an exact replica of his effort in a 1-0 York-Adams championship win over Northeastern last week. The Dallastown right-hander used mainly a fastball and split-fingered pitch, along with mixing in a curve ball.

"He been strong for me all year," Jeanmenne said.

Jeanmenne said the first inning was a key for Dallastown. Eric Morrison belted a leadoff single and was bunted to second. Riley Hamberger followed with a single, moving Morrison to third. Morrison then scored on a wild pitch.

"That set the tone." Jeanmenne said.

Dallastown never trailed after that.

As for Tuesday's game, Jeanmenne isn't sure who he'll start on the mound.

"We may have to go pitcher by committee," he said. "Our arms are tired. They've pitched a lot of innings. Somebody may have to step up (Tuesday) and give us a strong outing."

Jeanmenne's pitching problem has been exacerbated by the fact that the Region 4 games are nine innings, compared to the seven-inning games that were used during the regular season and in the York-Adams playoffs. In addition, Legion baseball has rules in place to limit the number of innings that a pitcher can throw, including no more than 12 innings over any three consecutive days.

"That doesn't leave us with much," Jeanmenne said about his pitching situation.

Tye Golden drove in two runs for the York-Adams League champions on a sacrifice fly and infield single. Cody Somerville added two hits and an RBI, while Hamberger drove in a run on a hit by pitch. Morrison reached base four times for the winners (two walks, hit by pitch, single) and scored three runs.

Two other Dallastown runs scored on errors.

Dallastown wins York-Adams American Legion championship

Post 605 improved to 16-5-1 on the season. Surging Dallastown is 10-1-1 over it last dozen games.

Dallastown opened the Region 4 playoffs with the loss to Ephrata on Saturday, before rebounding to beat host Fayetteville, 11-8, on Sunday, and Lawnton on Monday.

Reach Steve Heiser at sheiser@yorkdispatch.com.