Though Perkiomen's American Legion baseball team has struggled during a five-game stretch, one new member may have earned additional playing time.

            When Tyler Ritsick joined the team, he informed manager Mike 

Fitzgerald that he only pitched. However, with the Indians playing shorthanded, Ritsick was forced to play the field Saturday.

            Moving forward, Ritsick – a recent graduate of Souderton High School – should receive additional starts in the outfield, the manager said following a doubleheader sweep by Pennridge.

            "Tyler has really showed me something," Fitzgerald said. "He swung the bat really well."

            Playing without four starters, Post 184 lost a pair of games against Pennridge on Saturday afternoon at Bonekemper Field to fall to below .500 in the Bux-Mont League.

            In the first game – a 5-3, 10-inning loss – Perkiomen lost the potential go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning on the hidden ball trick, then failed to convert a safety squeeze in the ninth inning.

            In the second game, Pennridge scored the go-ahead run in the bottom of the sixth inning on an infield grounder to post a 7-6 victory.  "These losses hurt," said Fitzgerald, whose team has lost four of its last five games. "I feel like we gave both games away."

            Ritsick, a Harleysville resident who joined the Indians with Curtis Gerveske after both received their release from Souderton Post 242's team, started the first game in center field. In the second game, he started on the mound, allowing six runs on seven hits in four innings.

            Gerveske started the second game at first base. Both players, along with several reserves, were forced into the lineup due to the absence of starters Bryan Pijanowski, Logan Curley, Nolan Graber and Justin Wornham. The Indians played their last three games shorthanded, according to Fitzgerald.

            In a 5-3 loss to Pottstown on June 14, Ritsick played left field and delivered a hit and an RBI. Swinging the bat and playing in the field is new to the 18-year-old, previously played only Connie Mack League baseball before going out for Souderton's Legion team.

            "I've hit before, but it felt really good to get in the field," Ritsick said.

            In the first game, the Indians scored twice to rally from a 3-1 deficit on a bunt by Brett Fullerton and an RBI double by Glenn Boyer. However, Pennridge utilized the hidden ball trick to tag out Boyer. Fitzgerald called it a "bush league play."

            Initially, the umpires called a balk on Pennridge pitcher Andrew Mayhew. They argued that he was not allowed to be on the mound without the ball. However, following a 15-minute discussion with both managers, the umpires determined that the play was legal. According to Fitzgerald, Major League Baseball changed the rule to allow the pitcher to be on the mound, but not on the rubber, without the ball.

            In the ninth inning, Post 184 put runners at the corners with one out. But Robert Guzman failed to convert a safety squeeze before striking out. Pennridge snapped the tie in the 10th inning on an infield error and an RBI single by Ian Kacergis.

            In the second game, the Indians scored twice on a triple by Boyer and a throwing error on a grounder in the top of the sixth inning by Guzman to force a 6-6 tie.

            But Post 242 scored an unearned run in the bottom of the sixth to snap the tie. John Konieczny led off the inning with a walk, stole second, moved to third on walk and scored on Ian Kacergis' ground ball to short.

            "These may have been tough losses," Ritsick said. "But I am sure we will bounce back. We've got a good team here."