By Justin Lada
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — As if the final games of the year for the Syracuse Salt Cats weren’t dramatic enough, game one of the NYCBL playoffs between the Jr. Chiefs and Salt Cats gets crazier.
The Salt Cats got 6.2 innings of brilliant work from Maso Cotton (Virginia State University), holding the Jr. Chiefs to just two runs in his work.
The Salt Cats got three RBI from Connor Thompson (Mansfield University), a sac fly and a two run double, giving the Salt Cats an early cushion.
However, a four run ninth inning that a two run double from Tim Locastro put it at 6-5, and a passed ball tied things up at sixth in the ninth inning.
Mike Rynerson (St. John Fisher) left the bases loaded in the ninth due to some unfortunate incidents and Bo Watson (St. Bonaventure) allowed the tying run to score. Watson got out of the jam and sent the game to the 11th.
After 11 innings the umpires felt that there was not enough daylight left to play on Friday, leaving the game to be completed on Saturday before the scheduled game 2 at 1pm
Game 1 finally resumed 36 hours later and the Salt Cats went quietly in the top of the 11th against JD Tyler.
Roberto Morales (Walsh University) took home a hard luck loss, allowing a bunt single by Frank Salerno and after Salerno stole second and third base. Morales would wind up walking the next two batters intentionally with two outs to set up a force play at any base to get the final out of the 11th. Unfortunately for Morales and the Salt Cats that final out never came. Corey Caswell sent a bloop single into left to give the continuation game win to the Jr. Chiefs 7-6.
Game two the Salt Cats liked their chances to keep their season going, sending ace Sean Williams (Oklahoma State-Panhandle) to the mound.
Williams would walk the first batter he saw, Salerno, who later scored after a sac bunt and an RBI single by Zach Lauricella. The Delaware native ended up walking six on the day for the Salt Cats, but after a rocky start to the game really buckled down.
After allowing four runs (two earned) over the first three innings, Williams would allow three runs over his final 5.2 innings of work, and allowed an unearned run in the eighth.
The Salt Cats bats were held at bay by Ethan Striz until the fifth inning. Eddie Charles (Oswego State) tripled in Andrew Medeiros (Westfield State) and Dan Fiorito (Manhattanville College) brought home Charles with a sac fly, making it a 5-4 Jr. Chiefs lead, after the J-Chiefs were up 5-1 after five innings.
Striz only allowed one run and three hits till that fifth inning and did finish the six, but came out in favor of Peter Dogget in the seventh.
The Salt Cats had a potential game tying rally in the sixth, a looping line drive down the left field line by Nick Carlson (University of Rochester) was called foul on a very close play. Carlson would wind up striking out and the Salt Cats were thwarted.
Meanwhile, a pair of outfield miscues cost the Salt Cats dearly, early and late.
Medeiros let a line drive go under his glove and it played to the wall in the third inning off the bat of Riley Moonan. The double and a two base error on Medeiros allowed two runs to score and allowed Moonan to come all the way to home to make a 4-1 game.
Two more Chiefs runs came across in the eighth, when the Salt Cats were down just 5-4 but things got away from them quickly in the inning.
After Williams worked through some early command issues, he cruised until some late shadows made Mike Mascari (Oswego State) drop a ball in left field, allowing Zach Blanden to score and had Tim Locastro on second. Alex Sanchez doubled in Locastro the Salt Cats momentum was disrupted.
Thanks to a leadoff walk by Medeiros and a Charles single, the two scored on a Fiorito sac fly and a Bud Morton (Moorehead State) RBI single, bringing the Salt Cats run within one at 7-6.
Unfortunately the Salt Cats rally ended there, it would wind up being their 12th one run loss of the season.
After a 1-9 start and 10 one run losses in the regular season, the Salt Cats found their way into the playoffs and took the best team in the league to the brink in both playoff games, but losing by one run each time.
The Jr. Chiefs and Geneva Red Wings will play in the eastern division finals for the chance to move on to the final round of the NYCBL playoff vs. the western division winners.
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