Chris Manns hadn't pitched in more than two years. On Sunday night, he retired the final three hitters to lead Quakertown's American Legion baseball team to a 5-4 victory over Perkiomen at Bonekemper Field.

            Manns, who hadn't been on the mound due to arm injuries his sophomore

 season with Quakertown's high school team, struck out Robert Guzman with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning to notch the save for the visiting Blue Jays.  "We might have found a closer," Quakertown manager Bob Helm said.

            Bryan Pijanowski delivered two hits and scored three runs for the host Indians, who had a five-game winning streak snapped.

            Down by a run in the bottom of the seventh, Post 184's initial two hitters against Blue Jays starter Matt Ciarrocchi reached on a walk and a bunt single. "We were out of pitching options," Helm said.

            Mann came on to face Glenn Boyer, Perkiomen's best bunter, according to Manager Mike Fitzgerald. With the Quakertown third baseman playing near the bag, Boyer twice attempted unsuccessfully to bunt for a hit.  "The third baseman wasn't expecting it," Fitzgerald said. "And if he would have gotten it down, the bases would have been loaded."

             However, Mann struck out Boyer looking on a low and away fastball. After both runners moved up on a ground ball, Nolan Graber worked a walk to load the bases. Mann fell behind 3-0 against Guzman before rallying for the game-ending strikeout.

            Evan Hurst went 3-for-4 and scored three runs for the Blue Jays, who entered play in line for the league's regular season championship and a berth in the Region 2 Tournament. Leadoff hitter Brad Bryan scored twice.

            Quakertown snapped a 4-4 tie in the top of the seventh inning off Curtis Gervevski, Perkiomen's second pitcher. Hurst singled with one out in the inning, stole second and scored on John Paul's single to left.

            The Indians rallied for two runs in the bottom of the sixth. Pijanowski, who reached on an outfield error, stole second and scored on a long double to left center by Nolan Graber. Trey Livingstone's two-out single to right plated Graber.

            On Sunday afternoon, Graber pitched his team to its fifth consecutive victory in a 4-3, eight inning victory against Doylestown. He allowed three hits and one walk by striking out 11 on 110 pitches. Wornhan, who led off the eighth inning with and advanced to third on two sacrifices, scored the decisive run on an errant throw from the first baseman in the second bunt.

Boyer drove in two runs for the Indians, who took an early 3-0 lead. Graber added an RBI-double.

            A lineup change sparked Post 184's offense. According to Graber, the hitters are making better contact. Fitzgerald said the shift of Wornham to the leadoff spot and Pijanowski to the No. 5 hole has lengthened its lineup.  "We're finally showing some power," Graber said.

            Late last week, the Indians combined for 22 hits in a pair of league victories on the road.

On June 29, they delivered 10 hits in a 7-0 win over Warrington. Graber went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Bryan Pijanowski scored three runs. Trey Livingstone scattered three hits over six innings to post the victory. 

            The next day, they pounded out 12 hits in a 9-3 victory over Lansdale.

            Tyler Ritsick and Boyer each notched two hits and two RBI for Post 184, which rallied for five runs in the sixth inning to extend a 4-3 lead. Wornham finished with two hits and scored twice.

            Guzman tossed three shutout innings, in relief of starter Hunter Gooch, to post the victory. Guzman permitted just three hits