VALLEY SPORTS HISTORY

2014

• Belle Vernon’s American Legion team pounded out 12 hits, all singles, on its way to a 9-5 victory over host Farmington in Fayette County League action. Belle Vernon never trailed, as winning pitcher Dylan Stark went eight innings, striking out nine. Belle Vernon’s Tyler Simsic went 3 for 4 and Nico Tasser singled twice and had two RBI. Belle Vernon took control in the fourth inning, scoring four times while sending 12 batters to the plate.

• Adam LeCarte, 8, of Rostraver Township set three meet records while winning the 25 freestyle, the 25 butterfly and 25 breast stroke at the 2014 Latrobe Firecracker Invitational. LeCarte’s team, the Belle Vernon Swim Club, finished third out of 18 teams in the event.

2004

• In February, Phil Pergola announced that he was ending his 34-year coaching career by stepping down as Ringgold’s hoops mentor. Pergola’s retirement was short-lived, as he was granted a three-year contract to coach at California Area High School, filling the vacancy left by Steve Luko’s resignation. Coaching basketball won’t be Pergola’s only job with the district, as he was also appointed as athletic director. Pergola said, “I try to stay active and I have been involved in sports my whole life. I tried to get the AD position at Ringgold.”

• The Charleroi, California and Belle Vernon American Legion teams all lost in the Fayette County league. After jumping out to a 2-0 lead, Charleroi went on to drop a 5-2 decision to Uniontown. California dropped to 4-7 with a 6-3 loss to Masontown at home. The first-year Belle Vernon team remained winless with a five-inning 17-1 loss at home to Colonial. Colonial opened with 6 runs in the first inning and tacked on seven more in the fifth inning.

1994

• After three innings, Valley held a commanding 17-7 lead over Baker’s Pub in Belle Vernon-Rostraver Softball League action. Four innings later, Valley was ahead 19-9, but it wasn’t an indication of things to come. Baker’s erupted for 11 runs in the eighth inning to take a 20-19 lead before Valley bounced back in the bottom of the inning for a 23-20 victory. The game was a batters’ festival with Chuck Hackett belting out two homers and two singles, Scott Bartolomucci contributing a grand slam and two singles, and Mike Grubbs hitting a homer, a triple and a single. Dave Grillo had two doubles and two singles for Bakers.

• Boxing returned to the Monessen Civic Center as the 15th Round Boxing Club presented an 10-bout amateur card. Garnett Gallmore, one of 15th Round’s stablemates was the featured fighter on the card. There was also a women’s boxing match on the program. Proceeds from the boxing show benefited the 15th Round Boxing Club and the Monessen Civic Recreation Authority.