Quinn Construction wins DNL championship
The Quinn Construction Mudcats won the McKeesport Daily News League championship.
From left are are Jim Pasquine, Tom Simcho and Jim Quinn, who is the sponsor of DNL champion Quinn Construction. The trio make up the only remaining members of Quinn Construction’s first team in 2009.
One-year old Tristan Simcho clutches the championship trophy captured when his father, Tom, managed the Mudcats to a Daily News League championship.
At 49, Tom Simcho is neither too old to be a first-time father nor a baseball player in the McKeesport Daily News League.
After celebrating his son’s first birthday, Simcho guided the Quinn Construction Mudcats to their fifth title in eight years. Simcho has been a player/manager in the 92-year-old league for 32 seasons.
Simcho said he started having children “late” because “he played so much baseball,” but the sport enables him to stay young.
“People have different reasons for playing. Some guys they want to hold onto their childhood. Baseball is a kids’ game,” he said. “If I stop hanging around the younger guys, I get old. The younger guys enjoy being with the older guys. They are learning things because the older ones teach them.
“We all enjoy being around each other and we are very competitive. Baseball is a good vehicle to provide both for us.”
Simcho hopes some day his son, Tristan, gains an appreciation for the game.
“I would enjoy it,” he said. “That would be great to pass on my love of the game to him.”
Simcho said Tristan already stares at the television when a game is on.
“It’s a good start,” he said.
Simcho said his Mudcats are passionate about the game. Quinn Construction finished as runners-up for the DNL title a year ago.
“Anyone who is successful surrounds themselves with good people,” he said. “I have a ton around me. They are not just quality baseball players, they are quality people. They are unselfish, conscientious, competitive people who do not like to lose.”
Quinn Construction finished the regular season in second place with a 14-6 record. The Snappers, who finished the regular season at 16-4, were seeded first in the DNL playoffs, which are patterned after the NCAA Division I College World Series.
The Mudcats reached the championship showdown against the rival Snappers by sweeping through the opening rounds of the double-elimination event that featured the league’s top 8 teams. They defeated Dorido’s Restaurant, 12-2, and Pasquale’s Pizzeria, 7-3, to set up the showdown against the league’s defending champions.
After dropping the opener 7-3, the Mudcats defeated the Snappers 8-2 at Winklevoss Field to tie the best-of-three championship series. Mike Huber’s run-scoring single coupled with three bases-loaded walks highlighted a 5-run first inning for Quinn Construction inning that game.
The Mudcats clinched the championship on their home field at Millennium Park in Bethel Park. They were led by Eric Fairman and Corry Ryan to defeat the Snappers 4-2 for the title.
Fairman doubled and scored a run in the third. He tripled home the third run and scored on a sacrifice fly in a two-run fifth inning.
Ryan pitched six strong innings before yielding to Jake McCaskey in the seventh. McCaskey earned the save. Together they scattered five hits.
Additionally, Jim Pasquine had five hits in the series to lead all batters.
Pitching and timely hitting keyed the team’s success, Simcho said.
“When you have two good teams playing that usually is the difference in the game,” he said. “We got hits at the right time and good pitching when we needed it.”
During the season, the Mudcats benefited from the bats of Pasquine, Jake McCaskey, Eric Morrison and AJ Olasz. They all hit above .400 with Pasquine leading the pack at .489.
Easton Klein led the pitching staff with eight wins and a 1.01 ERA. Brody Simmons and Kenny Gault followed with seven victories while Ryan posted a 6-2 record.
While the majority of players on the team hail from South Hills communities such as Bethel Park, Upper St. Clair, Baldwin, Brentwood, Pleasant Hills, West Mifflin and South Park, some starters journey from Deer Lakes and Chippewa.
“Some ride a good bit to get here, but they just love to play,” Simcho said.
Grown men playing anything other than Major League Baseball is acceptable to Tom Simcho. He’s been competing and managing for 32 years in the Daily News League.
Even during the COVID-19 era, he found it doable as his team, the Quinn Construction Mudcats, captured a third title in five seasons without incident.
”There is a pandemic?” he said when asked how his team dealt with the coronavirus during the summer months.
”Honestly, not much changed. We don’t shake hands,” he said. “I told them all if anyone didn’t want to be here, then don’t play. They all wanted to play and we never exceeded the numbers for large groups.”
Simcho said he was not really concerned about COVID-19 while playing baseball because he also coaches football at Baldwin High School. Simcho is an assistant to Tim Sweeney and a friend to the Bethel Park resident.
”We are practicing every night,” he explained.