Mainline Pharmacy knocks out Imler’s Poultry from AAABA Tournament
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JOHNSTOWN -- Imler's Poultry came into the Altoona portion of its All-American Amateur Baseball Association season with little expectations.
With a young squad and a manager in Adam Plummer who had not been at the helm long, the goal was simply to get some experience, bond as a franchise and improve throughout the year.
Imler's Poultry did that and more -- winning the Altoona league championship, advancing out of pool play and going toe-to-toe with the defending AAABA National Champions, Mainline Pharmacy, under the lights of Sargent Stadium at the Point in front of 1,872 fans into the fifth inning Thursday night before the Johnstown league champions pulled away in a 12-2 win that eliminated Imler's.
"It was a great experience, and it sucks that it's over," Plummer said. "We were super young. We don't lose anyone. Everyone is coming back, so we can build off this. We know what to expect when we come here, and this year was a good stepping stone for us. We're excited for the future of this team. I'm just sad it's over, but we'll be back."
Mainline Pharmacy hit Imler's Poultry starting pitcher Brandon McClure hard and jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. Imler's chipped away with RBI singles from Nick Kraft, who went 2-for-3 to wrap up an incredible tournament, and Gavin Fowler that made it 5-2.
But Mainline Pharmacy, which finished with 17 hits, scored seven runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.
"I'm super proud of the kids," Plummer said. "We had zero expectations coming in. Hats off to Mainline. There's nothing we could have done differently. We played a clean game, but when someone is hitting like that, there's not much you can do."
Mainline Pharmacy will take on Buffalo back at the Point tonight at 7 p.m. in the semifinals.
"We got on the board early and came to play today," Mainline Pharmacy manager Chance Osborne said. "It's the same thing every day -- one game at a time. Now we're on to Buffalo. We just have to keep the sticks going. Pitching and defense has been solid throughout the tournament, and I couldn't be happier for those guys right now."
Imler's Poultry played Mainline twice in the regular season and lost 4-3 and 3-0, but Thursday's quarterfinal game had a different feel.
"We had some close games with them, but the tournament atmosphere is a lot different than the regular season," Osborne said. "That's a very good team that has some talented kids, but what happened in the regular season didn't impact the tournament."
Mainline Pharmacy has several local players, including some from Blair County like Altoona's Tanner Stroup and Aaron Smearman, Tyrone's Landon Hamer and Central's Baron Dionis, who played in Thursday's win.
Stroup went 2-for-4 with an RBI triple.
"It's an awesome feeling to be part of this team and get this far in the tournament," Stroup said. "It's a really good tournament with a lot of great players. We have been able to prevail in every game we have played so far, and we're playing good team baseball and finding a way to get it done."
Stroup now has three triples in the national tournament.
"Tanner is another young guy on this team that came in with a lot of talent," Osborne said. "A lot of people know him. He turned into not just a talented player but a leader. You can tell he's having a lot of fun. He's a big part of this team, not only as a centerfielder, but he's such a team player in the dugout and really gets the guys going. He knows the game, and he's a really humble kid."
Stroup said playing in front of the large crowd was exciting.
"I know a lot of the people here tonight," Stroup said. "There's a lot of people here from my hometown, Altoona, and I know a bunch of the guys on (Imler's Poultry) and have competed with and against them my whole life. It's awesome to play here in front of everyone and these fans who love baseball as much as we do."
Plummer said the long-term goal in now having four Altoona AAABA teams is to keep area talent on those squads.
"I just started in spring. I got on board late, but the goal is to keep those kids at home," Plummer said. "I guess you could say it's a little discouraging that they move away and come over here and play, but they do what is best for them, and if that's what's best for them, then so be it. We'll worry about what we can control with our team."
Stroup said Mainline Pharmacy extended an invitation he couldn't pass up.
"They reached out to me, and that was a big thing to have a team that really wanted me," Stroup said. "I looked at the roster, and it's a bunch of guys I know and that I am friends with. It's a really good team. It's been a heck of a summer, and I'm really happy to be with these guys."
Now he's set to try and help Mainline Pharmacy win another national title.
"It would mean everything to win a championship," Stroup said. "As a younger kid, I didn't really win a lot of championships, but hopefully as I get older I can be part of teams that do. It's exciting to be part of this, and I'm excited to see what we can do."
IMLER'S POULTRY (2): Fowler 2b 412, Lamb 3b 301, Kraft c 302, Plummer dh 300, B. McClure p 000, Brauer p 000, Powell cf 301, Parsons rf 201, Farabaugh 1b 100, Steiner ss-p 311, Szynal lf 200, Herncane eh 300. Totals -- 27-2-8.
MAINELINE PHARMACY (12): Bro. Roberts ss 424, Stroup cf 412, Turner rf 411, Wingard c 413, Miko lf 321, Hamer eh 301, Dinyar 1b 311, Bry. Roberts 312, Snowberger p 301, Dionis p 000, Gibbons cr 010, Richardson 2b 311. Totals -- 34-12-17.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Imler's Poultry 001 010 0XX--2 8 0
Mainline Pharmacy 400 170 XXX--12 17 0
E--None. 2B--Bro. Roberts, Richardson. 3B--Turner, Stroup. HR--Bry. Roberts. RBI--Fowler, Kraft, Dinyar 3, Wingard 2, Bry. Roberts 2, Richardson, Snowberger, Hamer, Stroup, Bro. Roberts. WP--Snowberger. LP--B. McClure. SO--Snowberger 5, Dionis 4, B. McClure 2, Steiner 1. BB--Snowberger 1, Dionis 1, Brauer 1.
Umpires: Don Bachota (HP); Brad Trusal (1B); Brent Dorofey (2B); Seth Matthews (3B).
Records: Imler's Poultry (2-2); Mainline Pharmacy (4-0).