Oswego sweeps Eagles in league play

Uniontown's Devonte Robinson pitches to an Oswego batter during the second game of a doubleheader at Uniontown Tuesday afternoon. Robinson struck out 14 batters in the game, but the effort was not enough to prevent the visiting Indians from completing a sweep. (Matthew Resnick/Tribune)

UNIONTOWN -- The Uniontown High School baseball team dropped both games of a doubleheader, 13-2 and 5-3, against Oswego Tuesday afternoon here in Three Rivers League play.

"We just didn't have very good mental focus," Uniontown head coach Jeff Reed said.

Trey Brake lifted Oswego in the first game. The Indians' center fielder launched two solo home runs off Uniontown pitcher John Kuns. Brake's first blast lifted off high over the left field wall in the top of the second inning, extending the Indians' lead to 5-0.

In the bottom half of the second, trailing 6-0, Uniontown's Cale Coyan tripled to right field, scoring Ethan Hale.

Brake smacked his second home run of the game in the top of the fifth, this time to left-center field, putting the Indians up 12-2. Oswego added another run in the inning, and with the Eagles (6-4 TRL, 6-7 overall) failing to score in the bottom half of the inning, the game was ended due to the run-rule.

Indians pitcher Tag Oldham was dominant, fanning 12 Eagles hitters on the evening.

In the nightcap, catcher Jacob Duffy led off the game with a single to right field off Brake. Later in the inning, Hale drilled a fastball to deep center field with 2 out to score Duffy as the Eagles jumped on top.

After striking out the side in the first inning, Uniontown pitcher Devonte Robinson found himself in a bases-loaded jam in the top of the second inning. Robinson was able to minimize the damage, only allowing a 2-out single by Oldham, which plated 2 runs.

Brake doubled to deep right-center field leading off the top of the third. The next batter, first baseman Jordon Dennison, blooped a single into center field, just out of the reach of shortstop Broderick Glessner, scoring the runner and pushing the Indians' lead to 3-1.

In the top of the fourth, Oswego again loaded the bases, scoring on separate wild pitches to give it a 4-run advantage.

Coyan led off the bottom half of the fifth with a double to left field. Later in the inning, with runners on first and third, Glessner came through with a base hit, putting runners at the corners. An errant pickoff attempt by Brake, which sailed over Dennison's head, allowed a run to cross the plate. In the bottom of the sixth inning, Robinson helped his own cause by knocking in Kuns, bringing the Eagles within 5-3.

With nobody out, Robinson was doubled up after he advanced too far down the baseline toward second base on a fly out to the shortstop, effectively killing the Eagles momentum. Glessner struck out to end the inning.

Robinson, who had a superb outing on the mound, struck out the side in the top of the seventh inning, the last three of his 14 punchouts.

"Devonte has pitched really well for us," Reed said. "He pitched really well at Erie, he pitched really good tonight. There's not much more you can ask out of him. He's done a really good job pitching. Not only that, but he's come along as a player."

With Brake wearing down, having gone six innings and accumulating a high pitch count, the Eagles were able to put runners in scoring position with two outs. Robinson stepped to the plate representing the game-winning run, and had the chance to play hero for Uniontown. However, a fatigued Brake reached back and managed to strike out Robinson, to end the game.

The Eagles will travel to Humboldt, which is ranked No. 4 in Class 3A by the Kansas Association of Baseball Coaches, for a non-league doubleheader on Thursday.

Game One

Uniontown........ 010 10x x -- 2 5 6

WP -- Oldham. LP -- Jo.Kuns (3-4).

HR -- Oswego: Brake 2 (2nd inn., none on, 2 out; 5th inn., none on, none out).

Game Two

Uniontown........ 100 011 0 -- 3 5 0

WP -- Brake. LP --Robinson (2-2).

HR -- None.