Mike Mastovich: Somerset County HOF class has strong AAABA ties

Aug. 13—AAABA Tournament championship game appearances were scarce for the host city when Scott Close managed the Johnstown Sani-Dairy franchise in 1995.

Until Sani-Dairy erased a huge deficit and knocked off Buffalo Leibs in the fifth round in '95, Johnstown hadn't had a team in the championship round since the legendary 1956 Hahn Packing squad.

Thirty-nine years between championship game appearances — both teams finished as AAABA Tournament runner-up.

By comparison, Johnstown has advanced to the tournament final in five of the past six tournaments since the introduction of pool play in 2016.

Martella's Pharmacy won the city's lone AAABA Tournament title in 2018.

So, when Sani-Dairy met up with the New Orleans Boosters to decide the championship in '95, it was something out of the ordinary.

"That was a magical summer," said Close, who will be among eight individuals inducted into the Somerset County Baseball Old-Timers Hall of Fame on Saturday at the Stoystown American Legion Post 257.

Close managed a 4-2 team that became only the fourth Johnstown representative to win four games through the tournament's first 51 events.

"The best memory was how the entire town rallied around the team," Close said. "Back then, it was very difficult to get to the finals. Obviously, it hadn't been done since 1956 with Hahn Packing. To get there and have the entire city completely behind you was incredible for the boys."

To get there, Sani-Dairy overcame a 7-0 first-inning deficit to Buffalo and a 15-9 margin in the eighth in what amounted to a semifinal-round game.

The magic Close spoke of crept into Point Stadium, electrifying a large and enthusiastic crowd. Dave Kretchman's three-run opposite field homer to right sparked an eighth-inning rally that put Sani-Dairy on track to a wild 17-15 victory.

Johnstown trailed 15-12 before Kretchman's blast.

"Dave Kretchman hit a three-run home run down the right-field line, and it curled around the foul pole," Close said. "He was a right-handed batter and he snuck it right around the foul pole.

"Gino Betta's big home run blast over the fence in the Buffalo game was memorable. I also remember how (pitcher) Casey Stanton came in to close the game and jumped into the first baseman's arms. I think it was Ross Kott.

"It was a true team effort. Ross and Gino were big bats," Close said of Johnstown's two-time local league MVP Ross Kott and standout Gino Betta, of Somerset. "The pick-ups were strong. Everybody did the job they had to do to get us to the finals."

The next night, New Orleans defeated Sani-Dairy 12-2 in seven innings to earn its 11th title. This past Saturday, the Boosters won their third consecutive AAABA Tournament crown to push that total to 18 championships.

Close is part of a hall of fame class with strong ties to the AAABA Tournament and the Johnstown Junior League/AAABA League now known as the Johnstown Collegiate Baseball League.

His credentials extend beyond the AAABA, as Close stood out at Somerset Area High School and in the Somerset American Legion program before playing at Juniata College. Close also spent two seasons in the Junior League with Coca-Cola and was an outfielder on the 1988 AAABA Tournament team.

He managed Coca-Cola in the 1993 AAABA Tournament and took over Sani-Dairy when that franchise replaced Coke.

Close is the athletic director and a veteran boys basketball coach at Somerset High School.

His younger brother Bart Close also is going into the Hall of Fame on Saturday. Bart played at Somerset High from 1988-92 on three Laurel Highlands Athletic Conference championship teams.

Those Golden Eagles squads reached the PIAA quarterfinal round twice. He played in the 1993 AAABA Tournament with Coke.

"Bart was with me the first time I made it to the tournament as a coach (1993)," Scott Close said. "He's a heck of a ballplayer. His talent took him to the next level. It was a real fun time coaching him. My dad (hall of famer Randy Close) joined the staff that year. That's another great memory being able to coach with your dad and coach your brother."

Bart Close played on scholarship at the University of Michigan and in his first four collegiate at-bats, he hit for the cycle against the University of Florida. Bart Close later transferred to James Madison University to finish his college career. He played professionally in the Frontier League and has been managing the Somerset American Legion program since 2013.

"My dad is going to be presenting both of us," Scott Close said.

"It's going to be quite special to him to have both of his boys, in the sport our dad loves."

Conemaugh Township High School graduate Matt Bimeal also will be inducted. Bimeal played in two AAABA Tournaments.

In 1998, he was a pick-up player for Wise Trailer Sales after going 6-0 with Principle Development.

As a 17-year-old, Bimeal recorded a save for Wise by throwing 31/3 innings of relief in an 8-7 tournament win over Schenectady in front of 3,000 fans. Bimeal played in the 1999 AAABA Tournament with Delweld.

His professional career in the Pittsburgh Pirates system included a New York-Penn League championship season pitching for the Williamsport Crosscutters in 2003.

The Pirates hired Bimeal as a scouting supervisor in 2006 and he still fills that role. Among the more than 20 players Bimeal signed for the Bucs are current pitcher Mitch Keller and former shortstop Jordy Mercer.

Dustin "Dusty" Davis, of Rockwood, played three seasons in the AAABA League with the former Hilltop Boys Club and Ladbrokes franchises on his baseball Somerset County hall of fame resume.

Meyersdale four-sport standout Jason Stanton was a catcher on the former Bergman Toyota franchise in the Johnstown Junior League in 1991 and 1992.

At Pitt-Johnstown, Stanton hit the first home run at George R. Walter Field in October 1993.

Also entering the Somerset hall on Saturday will be Steve "Babe" Kutsmeda, of Shade Township; Charles R. Pipta, of Jerome; and Thomas "Turk" Zimmerman, of Forbes. The 1971 North Star High School baseball team will be inducted for winning a District 5 championship and compiling an undefeated season.

Mike Mastovich is a sports reporter and columnist for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at 814-532-5083. Follow him on Twitter @Masty81.