When Bushy Run faced Latrobe in the Region 7 Championship with a trip to the state tournament on the line, the Beavers called upon Jayden Kennedy on the mound. Kennedy, a Jeannette player, was a regular in the rotation throughout the season, but he had struggled to keep opponents off the board.

Not only did Kennedy thrive in that matchup against the Jethawks to give Bushy Run its second regional title in a row, but he was even better one week later with the state title on the line.

Kennedy tossed a shutout on Wednesday, leading Bushy Run to a 1-0 victory against Stripes and Strikes of Hazleton at McDowell High School in Erie.

While the Bushy Run legion program dates back nearly 100 years, this is likely the first state title in its history, according to manager Scott Peyman.

“I’ve been to that legion post many times, and I’ve never seen a state championship trophy in there,” he joked.

Although Peyman was in Connecticut with work obligations when the Beavers won the state crown, he lauded Kennedy, who allowed just two hits and issued two walks, while striking out four.

“He was fired up, and he pitched two great games,” Peyman said of his postseason hero on the mound.

Kennedy was certainly not the only vital contributor during the title run, though, as veterans such as Brody Hoffman, Carmen Metcalfe, Jake Sincak, Rob Andrews, and Jon Lovre all proved instrumental.

“All of the older guys really came through and taught the younger guys how to play and how to win,” said Peyman, noting that his roster was split between the experienced players who have already graduated high school, and the younger ones still trying to find their footing in high school baseball.

“The 16-year-olds, we just did not know what to expect. None of them had varsity experience,” Peyman revealed.

That did not prove a deterrent during the state tournament, though, as Bushy Run opened with a 4-1 victory against French Creek Valley on Saturday, and followed with a 2-1 walk-off win against Connellsville on Sunday.

Brandon Rohrer earned the victory on the hill against French Creek Valley, while Lovre produced a pair of runs batted in. Against Connellsville, Metcalfe was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh to plate Caleb Kerstetter for the decisive run.

Courtesy of their 5-4 triumph against North Parkland on Monday, the Beavers clinched their spot in the championship game, and also secured a place in the Mid-Atlantic Super Regional.

With those spots already locked in, Bushy Run took a different approach to the game Tuesday against Bristol. In the 5-2 setback, the Beavers allowed their reserves to see significant time, and used a slew of pitchers to avoid taxing their top hurlers.

That set the stage for Kennedy, who was nearly flawless, while Evan Gigliotti provided the offense with an RBI double to score Metcalfe in the fourth inning against Stripes and Strikes.

“We talked really about trying to get back to regionals and defend our championship there. I really had no inclinations about winning the state,” Peyman revealed. “This is not the most athletically talented team I’ve ever had, but this team just doesn’t make mistakes.”

Although the Beavers became the first Westmoreland County team to win legion state gold since Lower Burrell in the 1980s, a paperwork issue has put their spot in the national tournament in jeopardy.

“According to the state director, we’re done. But I appealed to the national appeals court, so we’ll see what they say,” Peyman explained.

If the appeal is successful, Bushy Run will commence the Super Regional in Hanover, Maryland on Wednesday.