HERMITAGE, Pa. – A 5-run second inning put Youngsville ahead for good in an 8-2 Region 1 win at Kennedy Catholic Wednesday.

Sam Hoover pitched a complete game and had a pair of hits and Nyko Mercado and Jason Beers combined to drive in five runs for the Eagles (3-6 overall, 1-2 Region 1).

The Golden Eagles (0-7, 0-2) opened the scoring in the first. May hit a one-out single then, with two away, Burkhart tripled to left to bring in May for a 1-0 lead.

Youngsville answered with a big second inning.

Alex Kemery hit a leadoff single and Isaac Smith sac bunted him to second. Dominic Walton reached and Ethan Morningstar walked to load the bases. Mercado singled in Kemery to tie the game at 1-1. Beers stepped in and sent a 1-1 pitch to left for a 3-run triple and a 4-1 Youngsvile lead. One out later, Damon Reese singled in Beers to put Youngsville ahead 5-1.

The Eagles added to their lead in the fourth. Beers was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning and stole second. Hoover followed with a RBI single and advanced to second on the throw to the plate. Justin McGranaghan entered as a courtsey runner and came across when Reese reached on an error to give Youngsville a 7-1 lead.

Walton reached on a dropped third strike in the fifth with one out. Morningstar singled him to third and he came around on Mercado’s ground out.

The Golden Eagles pushed another run across in the sixth, but Hoover slammed the door in the seventh for the win.

Mercado finished 2-5 with a run scored and two RBI, Beers was 1-3 with two runs scored and three driven in.

Hoover gave up two runs, one earned, on six hits. He walked none and struck out six.

The Eagles will look to continue their winning ways at Brockway Friday.

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YOUNGSVILLE (8)

Mercado ss 5-1-2-2, Beers 3b 3-2-1-3, Hoover p 4-0-2-1, Reese rf 3-0-1-1, Victor cf 3-0-0-0, Kemery 1b 3-1-1-0, Olsen 1b 1-0-0-0, Smith c 3-0-0-0, Walton 2b 4-2-1-0, Morningstar lf 2-1-1-0, Leofsky lf 0-0-0-0, McGranaghan cr 0-1-0-0, Totals 31-8-9-7

KENNEDY CATHOLIC (2)

Malvar rf 3-0-1-0, May ss 3-2-2-0, Gonzalez cf 3-0-1-1, Burkhart 3b-p 3-0-1-1, Feeney 2b 3-0-1-0, Pocza c 3-0-0-0, Kirkland p-3b 3-0-0-0, Young 1b 3-0-0-0, Cipriani lf 2-0-0-0, Totals 26-2-6-2

Youngsville 050 210 0 – 8 9 0

Kennedy Catholic 100 001 0 – 2 6 2

DP-Youngsville 1, Kennedy Catholic 1. 3b-Beers (Y), Burkhart (K). SB-Reese (Y) 2, Walton (Y) 2, Mercado (Y), Beers (Y), May (K) 2.

IP H R ER BB K

Youngsville

Hoover (W) 7 6 2 1 0 6

Kennedy Catholic

Kirkland (L) 6.2 9 8 7 1 5

Burkhart 0.1 0 0 0 1 0