By Paul Gotham
WEBSTER, NY – Connor Martin (Clarkson) connected on a pinch-hit walk-off single as the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs took an extra-inning affair from the Rochester Ridgemen, 5-4 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Basket Road Field.
Martin took the second offering from Ridgemen reliever Carl Buddin (Brunswick CC) and went opposite field plating Patrick Wright (LeMoyne) with the game-winner as the Jr. Chiefs fought off a late-inning Ridgemen rally to win in the 10th.
“Coach just said do your thing and hit the ball to the outfield, and something good will happen,” Martin said of his walk-off. “The first pitch was high and I didn’t swing at it. The next pitch was right down the middle, and I just tried to hit the other way. It was a good feeling.”
With their second win in as many nights, the Jr. Chiefs keep pace at the top of the league standings with their crosstown rivals, the Syracuse Salt Cats (4-1).
“Just to get out in front early in the league, to win a lot games in the beginning, we get to mesh as a team,” Martin continued. “Winning games like this always helps get everyone together. Winning extra-inning games is important because it prepares you for games later on. Now that we’ve been in this situation, if we have to be there again later in the year, we’ll be ready.”
The Ridgemen rallied from three down in the late innings to send the game to extra innings. Down 4-2, Rochester loaded the bases in the eighth with one out. Josh Davis (Whitworth) led the inning with a single up the middle. After a passed ball and an out, Ryan Logan (Christian Brothers) reached when his ground ball to the left side of the infield created confusion as Davis wandered from second. Russell Colgan (Northern Oklahoma Coll Enid) walked to load the bases, and Nicholas Wolyniec (Siena) delivered with a single through the left side of the infield. Matthew Simmons (Hendrix) tied the score with an RBI ground out.
Rochester pushed a run across in the seventh. Wolyniec slapped a one-out single into left. Simmons followed with a battle at the plate fouling off four two-strike pitches from Thomas Jordan (Northwood) before getting a pitch he liked and pulling a line drive into right. Josh Turner (Patrick Henry CC) loaded the bases with a hit just past the outstretched arm of Syracuse shortstop, Kenny Hostrander (Eastern Kentucky).
Alan Komorowski (Washington U) came on and got a ground ball which allowed Wolyniec to come home. The left-hander put out the fire inducing a ground ball to end the inning.
“Alan has been throwing great for us,” commented Syracuse head coach Chris Haynes. “I’ve had confidence in him from day one.”
The recent rainy weather created a scheduling quirk which saw the Jr. Chiefs bat last at Basket Road Field. With conditions at Hopkins Road Park unplayable and make-up games beginning to grow in numbers the teams decided to meet in Webster. But the decision was not without some struggle for the Jr. Chiefs who arrived home from last night’s game after midnight. They woke expecting to play at 1 p.m. only to have the game moved back an hour and a half before ultimately switching venues.
“Obviously it was tough,” Haynes noted. “We didn’t get in until one o’clock last night. The plan was to get up early and go hit then kinda relax before the one o’clock game. Then we moved it back and moved it here. It kinda came together this morning. It was kinda hectic.”The guys have been great about it.”
Michael Bittel (Seton Hill) started and went five allowing one run on two hits four walks and two strike outs.
“Mike was great,” Haynes stated. “He got the job done.”
Austin Munn (Ave Maria) came out of the bullpen and retired all six batters he faced for the win. The right-hander struck out one and induced five ground balls.
Syracuse loaded the bases in the third before scoring three to take a 4-1 lead.
Hostrander brought home Nick Sinay (Buffalo) with an RBI single. Alex Caruso (St. John’s) scored when Brian Burns (Ithaca) grounded into a double play. Wright capped the frame with an RBI base hit scoring Stanley Susana (St. Thomas Aquinas).
Syracuse travels to Sherrill for a 5 p.m. scheduled first pitch.
Rochester hosts Wellsville. A 7 p.m. first pitch is slated.
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