Jul 23, 2025
SIDMAN — After losing its opening game in the Pa. American Legion Baseball Region 7 Tournament, the Claysburg team has stormed back with a vengeance.
Claysburg rode a shutout pitching performance from right-hander Dustin Slowik to its third straight win in the tournament, a 4-0 victory over Hempfield East on Tuesday afternoon on the Forest Hills High School baseball field.
Slowik, who will be an incoming junior at Claysburg-Kimmel High School this fall, tossed a five-hit complete game to help Claysburg advance into the final day of the tournament today at Forest Hills.
Claysburg must win two games today in order to win the Region 7 championship and advance to the Pa. American Legion state tournament July 26-30 at McDowell High School’s Sports Complex in Erie. Claysburg will face Bushy Run (also 3-1 in the tournament after beating previously undefeated Latrobe, 2-1 Tuesday) today at noon.
If Claysburg is able to get past Bushy Run in the noon game, Claysburg will face Latrobe (3-1) at 3 p.m. today in the championship game.
Claysburg lost to Bushy Run, 9-3, in the opening round of the Region 7 tournament this past Saturday.
“We lost the first game in this tournament, and we knew that it would be a struggle to get back to this point,” Claysburg manager Kyle Glass said. “But we kept preaching about the importance of hanging in there and plugging away, and these guys have been coming together as a team at just the right time.”
Slowik turned in the second shutout pitching performance in two days for the Claysburg team, whose defense turned in three double plays behind him.
“Dustin did a great job pitching today, and our defense played great, turning three double plays,” Glass said. “When you get pitching and play defense like we did today, that’s what you (give) the opposition — a big zero.”
Slowik wound up making 95 pitches in his route-going effort, walking three batters and striking out two.
“I was locating my curve ball well today,” Slowik said. “I was filling up the strike zone, and our defense was making plays.”
Along with issuing a pair of walks, three Hempfield pitchers hit a total of seven Claysburg batters in the game, and two of those hit batsmen factored into runs scored.
Claysburg runners also stole a total of seven bases.
“The baseball gods just weren’t with us today,” said Hempfield manager Scott Smith, whose team exited the tournament with a 2-2 record. “We gave up nine free rides, including seven on those hit batsmen. Hats off to Claysburg. They’re a good hitting team, and a good, aggressive running team, and that’s what it takes to get to the next level here.”
Claysburg scored twice in the top of the third inning to take a 2-0 lead. Central High School grad Lukas Black started the rally by getting on base when Hempfield’s Lucas Demchak hit him with a pitch. Incoming Claysburg-Kimmel High School senior Mason Campagna, who recently verbally committed to Penn State to play collegiate baseball, roped a double into the left-center field gap, scoring Black.
“I was just looking for a fast ball down the middle,” Campagna said. “I got it and hit a double.”
Campagna went to third on the throw to the plate and scored himself on designated hitter Dontae Emerick’s sacrifice fly.
Claysburg tacked on two more runs in the fourth inning. Mason Byler started things with a leadoff single to left field, chasing Demchak from the mound. Evyn Yargeau was brought on to pitch, and Gavin Treon executed an excellent bunt to move Byler to second base. Byler advanced to third on Anthony Neri’s infield single, and after Black walked to load the bases, Yargeau hit Campagna with a pitch to force in Byler with Claysburg’s third run of the game.
Neri proceeded to score Claysburg’s final run later in the inning on Ben Kormanski’s groundout.
Hempfield East’s biggest threat came in the fourth inning, when Hempfield loaded the bases with two outs. Slowik worked out of that jam by getting Yargeau to ground into an inning-ending forceout.
“These past four days have been really fun,” Campagna said. “We’re coming out (Wednesday) to win this tournament.”
CLAYSBURG LEGION (4): Black ss 010, Campagna c 312, Kormanski 3b 200, Slowik p 000, Emerick dh 100, Klotz 1b 401, Hoenstine 2b 201, Byler rf 311, Treon lf 300, Neri cf 411. Totals – 22-4-6.
HEMPFIELD EAST (0): Rosensteel cf 200, Martin ss 300, Cayer 3b-2b 302, Davis 1b 200, Polechko c 200, Wilkins 2b-p 201, Chismar lf 302, Demchak p 100, Yargeau p 100, Leatherman ph 100, Bowin rf 200. Totals – 22-0-5.
SCORE BY INNINGS
Claysburg Legion 002 200 0–4 6 0
Hempfield East 000 000 0–0 5 0
2B–Campagna, Chismar. RBI–Campagna 2, Kormanski, Emerick. SAC–Kormanski, Treon, Byler, Wilkins. SF–Emerick. SB–Hoenstine 2, Kormanski, Campagna, Neri. HBP–Black 3 (2 by Demchak, 1 by Wilkins); Campagna (by Yargeau); Emerick 2 (1 by Yargeau, 1 by Wilkins); Hoenstine (by Wilkins). DP–Claysburg defenders turned 3 double plays. LOB–Claysburg 10, Hempfield East 5.
PITCHING
Claysburg Legion: Slowik (W), 7IP, 5H, 0R, 0ER, 2SO, 3BB, 95 pitches.
Hempfield East: Demchak (L) 3+IP, 4H, 3R, 3ER, 0SO; 0BB; Yargeau 1 IP, 1H, 1R, 1ER, 0SO; 1BB; Wilkins 3IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 2SO; 0BB.
Records: Claysburg Legion (3-1); Hempfield East (2-2).
Umpires: Andy Lubert (plate); Tony Kline (bases).
Time of game: 1:45.
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