Murrysville Junior Legion team wins state title

For the second consecutive season, a team from Westmoreland County has won the American Legion Junior state title.

This year it was Murrysville, which defeated Upper Perkiomen, 8-3, in the championship game Tuesday at First Commonwealth Bank Field in Homer City. Penn-Trafford was the champion last season.

This was the Eagles’ first trip to the state tournament.

Earlier in the day, Murrysville was awarded a forfeit win against Connellsville because of the use of an ineligible pitcher. Upper Perkiomen, which is located between Allentown and Philadelphia, defeated Northampton, 12-1.

Murrysville starting pitcher Josh Hudak was wild in the first inning, and Upper Perkiomen grabbed a 1-0 lead. Hudak settled down and blanked Upper Perkiomen into the sixth inning.

He allowed one hit and three runs. He walked five and struck out six.

“This is a special group,” Murrysville coach Bobby Saddler said. “They came together and bought into what we were teaching, Even though we had a tough start, the players were confident we would come back

“Everyone in the lineup and who played, contributed. Josh did a great job on the mound and at the plate.”

While Hudak was quieting Upper Perkiomen’s bats, Murrysville came alive.

The Eagles, who finished 5-0 in states, grabbed a 2-1 lead in the second inning on RBI hits by Anthony DePaulo and Anthony Mitchell.

Murrysville tacked on two runs in the third inning with RBI singles by Hudak and Jonah Willochell.

The Eagles (25-10 overall) continued to add on by scoring three runs in the fourth inning on an RBI double by Brady Yarabinetz and two-run double by Hudak.

“We became a family,” Saddler said. “We were playing for each other. When this group was able to defeat Connellsville and Penn-Trafford in the county playoffs, they knew they could beat anyone we faced. We played very well the past three weeks.”

Chase Lemke had two hits, including a double for Murrysville, and N.J. Ramchandran had two hits. Murrysville outhit Upper Perkiomen, 10-3.

Willochell pitched the final two innings. He allowed a two-run double by Evans Sands in relief of Hudak in the sixth inning.

“It was a great ride,” Saddler said. “It was extremely beneficial for me to coach them.”

Murrysville also won the Westmoreland County League championship. It finished third in the Western Regional at Homer City on July 25.

Hudak was named the tournament’s top hitter, Lemke was named tournament MVP and Ramchandran was the top pitcher.