As usual, East Butler Legion advances to final
"Dynasty" is an often overused term in sports.
But, if there can be a dynasty in the Butler County American Legion, it would be hard to argue East Butler has not been one.
Yes, they were defeated in the final two games of the BCALL championship finals by Saxonburg last week. Still, in the past four seasons East Butler has won two championships and finished as the runners-up the other two. This includes the last proper Butler County American Legion championship prior to the organization starting its own league for 17-19 year-old players in 2013.
Manager Steve Armahizer's team has lost only seven times in the past two seasons, including a 14-5-1 record this season. Yet East Butler must split its talent pool with three other teams in its league; Butler City, Center Township and Meridian, from the Beaver High School District and does not have any players from neighboring or private schools.
"I think it's the coaching staff we have. Especially my dad. He knows the game a lot and has passed it down. The kids buy into what we coach. They buy into the system," said Armahizer.
The elder Armahizer's name is Robert, and fans watching East Butler's two games against Saxonburg for the BCALL championship on July 23 and 25 saw him coaching third base in place of assistant coach Darren Carter, who was out of town. Robert Armahizer was Steve's predecessor, giving up the East Butler managerial reigns to his son the same year the BCALL was formed.
"He knows more than I ever will about baseball," said the current manager, a former soccer player at Westminster who also has his younger brother Ryan on the East Butler coaching staff.
The Armahizer's system is traditional, lots of aggressiveness on the base paths and even disdain for the designated hitter.
But strategy is only part of the mental aspect they teach.
"We preach if you make a fundamental error that's fine, but don't make a mental error," said Steve Aramhizer. "Know where to hit the cut off man. Know where to throw the ball."
So if a deep fly ball is hit to center fielder Jeremy Moorehead or Alex Seybert with runners at the corners and less than two out, the Armahizers are keen on having him throw to second base, not home, to prevent the trail runner from getting into scoring position.
Moorehead, who will play for Butler County Community College next season, and fellow left-hander Seybert, a 19-year-old who works as a heating and air conditioning technician by day, were the top two pitchers for the younger Armahizer this season, usually playing center field when the other was on the mound.
The two combined for perhaps East Butler's biggest victory of the season, a 6-5 triumph on July 9 against Saxonburg, when Moorehead brought in Seybert with a squeeze bunt in the final inning to complete a three-run rally. Saxonburg is comprised of players from 2015 Class AAA PIAA champion
Knoch High School.
Other key performers for East Butler include shortstop and Gannon commitment Ian Steighner, surehanded double-play partner Tyler Markilinski, third baseman and cleanup hitter Garett Goslow, speedy left fielder D.J. Osche, right fielder Brandon Hildebrand, catcher Chad White, and first basemen Hunter Scott and Logan Ruggles.
Hildebrand hit a two-run home run and made a great running catch on July 14 in a 9-1 victory against Meridian, and White, who just graduated from the Butler varsity, is an adept blocker of pitches. Shawn Hoffman and Kolby McClelland served utility roles for East Butler.
"The kids hate losing," Steve Armahizer said. "Not as much as I do, but they've done their fair share of stepping up to the plate when they need to. Lots of games they've come back late in the game.
Last Saturday's championship final saw Saxonburg emerging from the loser's bracket to defeat East Butler, 4-3, in eight innings.