FLEETWOOD — Threes were wild for the Tamaqua Blue Sox in Sunday’s Schuylkill-Berks Legion League qualifier round.
The Blue Sox put together four three-run innings — two in each game — to upset Post 625 and advance to the eight-team, double-elimination Schuylkill-League tournament.
Tamaqua won the first game 6-4, then held off a Fleetwood rally to take the second game of the best-of-3 series 6-5.
In the opener, Ed Titus and Brad Fedor each had two hits and Nate MacDonald collected three RBIs. Matt Roberts pitched six strong innings, striking out nine, as Tamaqua tallied three runs in the bottom of the sixth to take control.
In the nightcap, Pete Baddick was 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and three RBIs for the Blue Sox. MacDonald and Roberts each added two hits and MacDonald had two RBIs as Tamaqua built a 6-2 lead entering the seventh before Post 625 rallied.
Blue Sox starter Connor Hartung fanned seven and walked one, but tired in the seventh. MacDonald, who also saved Game 1, got the final out of the game to clinch Tamaqua’s berth.
Game 1
625 (10-7) 000 013 0 — 4 5 4
Tam (7-10) 003 003 x — 6 7 3
Keller; Roberts, MacDonald (7). W — Roberts. L — Keller. Sv — MacDonald.
HITS: Post 625 — Spatz, Cahalan, Link 2, B. Hawkins. Tamaqua — Baddick, MacDonald, Titus 2, Rother, Fedor 2.
Game 2
Tam (8-10) 030 003 0 — 6 9 3
625 (10-8) 100 010 3 — 5 10 1
Hartung, MacDonald (7); B. Hawkins. W — Hartung. L — B. Hawkins. Sv — MacDonald.
HITS: Tamaqua — Baddick 3, MacDonald 2, Roberts 2, Rother, Heery. Post 625 — W. Hawkins 2, Cahalan 2, Keller, Ganert, Link 2, Rosenberger 2.
2B — W. Hawkins, Cahalan, Keller. HR — Baddick.
Wapinsky helps
Lions earn split
OLEY — Eric Wapinsky had a pair of hits, scored the game-winning run and pitched a complete-game five-hitter as Pottsville downed Oley/Topton 3-2 in the opening game of their best-of-3 qualifier.
The No. 2-seeded Patriots rebounded to win Game 2 4-2, forcing a third game at 7 p.m. today at Steidle Field.
In the opener, Wapinsky and Brandon Daubert drove in runs in a two-run third inning that gave No. 9 Pottsville the lead.
After Oley tied the game with two runs in the sixth, Wapinsky scampered home when the Oley/Topton shortstop misplayed a grounder by Sam Siminitus in the bottom of the sixth.
In Game 2, Brody Lesher had two hits and Austin Kunkel struck out 10 in a complete-game effort for the Patriots.
Game 1
Oley (11-6) 000 002 0 — 2 5 2
Potts (4-12) 002 001 x — 3 2 4
W — Wapinsky. L — Turner.
HITS: Oley/Topton — Fisher, Vaccaro, Lesher 2, Mace. Pottsville — Wapinsky 2.
2B — Mace.
Game 2
Potts (4-13) 001 001 0 — 2 8 3
Oley (12-6) 004 000 x — 4 5 0
W — Kunkel. L — Kuperavage.
HITS: Pottsville — Wapinsky 2, Kuperavage, Herndon, Renninger 2, Siminitus, Holobetz. Oley/Topton — Williamson, Vaccaro, Wentzel, Lesher 2.
2B — Williamson, Lesher.
Southern Area sweeps
twinbill with Kutztown
KUTZTOWN — Southern Area advanced to the eight-team, double-elimination tournament with a pair of victories over Kutztown.
The A’s won 9-2 in Game 1, then rode the strong pitching of Robbie Oliver to take the nightcap 4-1.
In other action Sunday, Wyomissing advanced with a pair of victories over Tulpehocken, winning 10-4 and 6-1.
Hamburg, Muhlenberg and Valley View earned berths by winning their respective division titles.