6/6/19
The 2019 Lehigh Valley Youth Legion season got underway last Sunday for Lower Macungie similar to the way it ended a year ago and at the same place for the Rangers.
Third-year head coach Shawn Betz’s team opened their season with a bang as they routed visiting South Parkland 11-1 in six innings on their home field at Church Lane Park, site of winning last year’s league championship.
Starter Andrew O’Brien and reliever Jack Ivankovits combined on a four-hitter and the two got plenty of support from their offense as they pounded out 10 hits off three South Parkland pitchers.
Catcher Dominick Chiego was 2-for-3 with two RBI, shortstop Evan Amey also had two hits and scored three runs, first baseman Jeremy Haefeli added a pair of hits and scored two runs, while third baseman Tyler LePage drove in a game-high three runs for Lower Mac which led 9-0 after just three innings of play.
The Rangers went 21-4 a year ago and won its second straight championship, defeating rival North Parkland in the finals. Lower Mac advanced to the West Lawn Regional where they defeated Beech Creek 10-5 before seeing its season come to an end in a 11-9 loss to the host team. West Lawn went on to win the state championship.
This year’s team roster includes: Andrew O’Brien, Anthony Viola, Connor Shriver, Dominick Chiego, Dylan Witkowski, Ethan Hosak, Evan Amey, Jack Ivankovits, Jake Fotta, Jeremy Haefeli, Michael LeMaster, Sam Dietz, T.J. (Tyler) Geist, Tyler Seidel, Tyler LePage.
Lower Mac will play 18 regular-season games and one non-league game. The other teams in the league include: North and South Parkland, Palmer, Bankos, Hellertown and Nazareth.
The top four teams will qualify for the playoffs. The first round will be a best 2-out-3 series with the No.1 seed facing No.4 seed and No.2 vs No.3 The two winners will play for the championship.
Three teams will advance to regionals. The regional locations are Oley, Upper Perk, Berwick and South Scranton. The state championship will be held in Homer City, Pa.
Follow @Emmaussports.com on twitter, ‘like’ Emmaus baseball on facebook to keep up to date on the team throughout the season.
2019 Schedule:
June 2- SOUTH PARKLAND – Won 11-1
June 6 – @ Palmer
June 7 – BANKOS
June 9 – BANKOS (5 p.m.)
June 10 – @ Hellertown
June 11 – @ South Parkland
June 12 – HELLERTOWN
June 14 – PALMER
June 16 – @ North Parkland
June 18 – @ South Parkland
June 19 – @ North Parkland
June 20 – @ Bankos
June 23 – NAZARETH – Doubleheader (2 & 5 p.m.)
June 24 – Palmer
June 26 – NORTH PARKLAND
July 1 – @ West Lawn (7 pm)
July 2 – @ Nazareth
July 3 – @ Hellertown
Home games – CAPS (Church Lane Park)
Updated standings – North Parkland (2-0), LOWER MAC (1-0), Bankos (2-1), South Parkland (2-2-1), Hellertown (1-2), Nazareth (0-1-1), Palmer (0-2)