CONNIE MACK Livi's Yorty contains Armoloy

The pickup from Becdir Construction is juggling baseball and football.
By BILL SULLIVAN
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
STRUTHERS -- You may have to excuse Jay Yorty if he seems a little tired right about now.
Not only is he practicing with the Lisbon High football team, but he's also pitching for Livi Steel in the Connie Mack state baseball tournament.
There are 38 teams in the 41st annual event and Livi is one of just 10 undefeated squads after two rounds.
Thursday, Yorty threw a complete-game seven-hitter, as Livi defeated Springfield Armoloy 5-2 at Cene Park. He struck out six and walked just one.
Needed an arm
During the season, Yorty threw with the Becdir Construction team but when they didn't qualify for the tournament, Livi quickly picked him up.
"Jay's just a great competitor," said Livi manager Jim Novotny.
Today Yorty plans to practice with Lisbon where he's a returning starting quarterback, then play with Livi which will be scheduled for two games.
"My football coach works with me," said Yorty about a potential scheduling conflict. "I get every other day off. I'll be here; I'll find a way."
Yorty faced one major challenge in the game and answered in impressive fashion.
Livi's Steve Orlosky doubled home Mike Busin with two out in the top of the fourth of a scoreless game.
Two straight wild pitches plated Orlosky to make it 2-0.
Springfield then used a double, a single and a fielding error to tie the score in the bottom of the fourth.
A three-run fifth made it 5-2 and Yorty took the mound.
He retired the side, serving notice that he didn't plan to relinquish his margin a second time.
"Once they tied it up, Jay just closed the door on them," said Novotny.
Yorty said "I knew we were going to sail the rest of the way," once his team gave him the cushion.
Going ahead
In the fifth, Livi used a one-out walk and consecutive singles by Phil Butch and Sean Lucas to take a 3-2 lead.
Doug Brown hit a sacrifice fly to score Butch and Busin doubled in Lucas with the fifth run.
"Our team won't quit," said Novotny of the rally. "We learned a long time ago we're never out of the game and we're not going to quit. They score two and we're going to answer them back."
Buoyed by the lead, it was all Yorty the rest of the way.
Lucas, a recent graduate of Warren Harding, hit .345 for Livi during the summer. He had three of the six Livi hits.
sullivan@vindy.com