By Keith Barnes
Published: Friday, July 12, 2013, 10:27 p.m.
Updated 15 hours ago
A small late-season winless streak wasn't enough to knock West Mifflin out of the top spot in the Allegheny South League American Legion playoffs. West Mifflin (10-1-1), the defending champ that ended the regular season 0-1-1 after four starters went on vacation, won the “B” Division and received a first-round bye in the tournament. Play is set to begin Saturday at, if last year is any indication, both Peterswood Park in Peters Township and Boyce Mayview Park in Upper St. Clair. Coaches and league officials met Friday evening to determine scheduling, but sites and times were not released. “Having the bye gives us a little more freedom with our pitching staff, especially since we're going to be missing a couple guys Saturday who we might have on Sunday,” West Mifflin coach Tom Simcho said. “That's a nice thing.” In a tournament like this, where the team could be playing every day, having an extra off-day to line up pitching is extremely beneficial. So, too, is staying in the winner's bracket where it's easier to keep a rotation intact. American Legion tournament rules dictate that each pitcher cannot throw more than 12 innings or make more than four appearances in any three-day period. About the only downside to the bye is the team won't be able to get an extra practice or game in before it plays its first contest Sunday at a site and time to be determined. Most of the players on the West Mifflin Legion team also play for Quinn Construction in the Daily News League, but the Mudcats don't have a game scheduled in the next couple of days. “We were trying to get a couple Mudcats games for (Saturday) but we don't have anything scheduled,” Simcho said. “A lot of the guys like Zack Salmon, (Ryan) Kandsberger and (Zack) Miller, they've been playing Daily News League, so they should be fine, but the rest of them, who knows?” First baseman Joe Stavor, left fielder Dan Howard, leadoff hitter and second baseman Zach Lapko and right fielder Jim Carassanesi should return for the playoffs and bring back some of the offensive thrust that had the team averaging 8.5 runs per game during its season-opening 10-game winning streak. The extra day also means that third baseman Zach Fodor and pitcher Cody Gross likely won't have to miss any games as they were expected to miss only Saturday because of vacations. About the only challenge now that the full lineup is intact is what to do with outfielder Chuck Scales, who performed well in the leadoff spot and in left field while Howard and Lapko were away. In limited action Scales, who is a rising senior at Shady Side Academy, hit .692 (9 for 13) with two doubles, a triple, six RBI and four stolen bases. “He's been a pleasant surprise,” Simcho said. “He's been doing better at the plate than I thought, and he's run down a lot of balls in the outfield. He's that hot and he's been hitting the ball that well, I want to get him up near the top of the order, so I might put him in the two spot because Zach Lapko is a prototypical guy in that one spot.” Still, if coming up with a lineup is the most difficult thing West Mifflin has to do in the tournament, then a spot in the Region 6 finals July 20-24 at Blackhawk is a virtual lock. “I'm pretty good at putting together a lineup,” Simcho said. “I usually just do it five minutes before a game, so we'll be fine.” Keith Barnes is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at kbarnes@tribweb.com or via Twitter @KBarnes_Trib. Tarentum teen dies in fall from moving truckBeaver Falls lineman Boxen commits to AkronZolnierczyk gets 2-way deal from PenguinsMercer’s single wins it in 11th for PiratesMalkin has his priorities in placePenn State notebook: QB Ferguson remains home in CaliforniaJeannette police find drugs in home while trying to serve warrant in sex caseAmbush kills 7 U.N. peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur regionPirates notebook: Wright glad to have Alvarez on Derby squadFrom seeds to suds: Wexford farm grows hops for local craft brewsWCCC’s Advanced Technology Center to emerge in former Sony plant
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