Outlaws take twinbill from Salt Cats

By Alicia Daddario

SYRACUSE, NY — With playoff seeding at stake, the double header match up between the Oneonta Outlaws and Syracuse Salt Cats was extremely important. Oneonta was victorious in both games against the Salt Cats at LeMoyne College on Tuesday evening in their final  New York Collegiate Baseball League action of the regular season.

The Outlaws clinched the number one seed by winning game one by a score of 5-4, which guarantees them a first-round bye and home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This was a suspended game from earlier in the season. Oneonta also won the regularly scheduled second game 6-2, pushing the Salt Cats back into the sixth seed.

After a close first game but ultimately taking the loss, Syracuse jumped out to an early 1-0 lead in the first inning of game two. The NYCBL batting champ, Carlos Guzman (Molloy), showed why he earned the league batting title with a single up the middle. By stealing second, Guzman put himself in scoring position for Cristian Fiorito (Concordia). First on the team and second in the league in RBI with 37, Fiorito added to that total with a single to center field, scoring Guzman.

The Outlaws answered back in the top of the second inning with three runs. Leading things off was Mitch Hollander (SUNY Cortland) with a monster triple off starting pitcher Shane Cochran Saginaw Valley St.), to right center field. Howard Joe (Mercer) followed with a single of his own for an RBI as Hollander easily scored from third. Spencer Duffie (Mercer) earned his way on the base paths with a single of his own. Oneonta scored their second run on a balk by Cochran. The Outlaws’ third and final run of the inning came on a dropped third strike that got away from Syracuse catcher Kyle Feazell (Louisiana Coll), allowing Sean Getman (Rhode Island) to reach first safely and Duffie to cross the plate.

Oneonta led 3-1 after two innings.

The Salt Cats got another run back but it would be their last run of the game. Bottom of the third, Bud Morton (Southern) walked to set things up for yet another Fiorito RBI. Fiorito crushed a double down the right field line to score Morton.

Salt Cats down 3-2.

After that, it was all Outlaws. They scored three insurance runs in the top of the fifth inning, to secure their second win of the afternoon. Jake Levine (Brown) started with a two-out single to left field, followed by a walk issued to Brian Kraft Grand Canyon). Clean up hitter Josh Treff (Northeastern) capitalized on the opportunity with an RBI single. Kraft and Treff came around to score on a double by Hollander, giving the Outlaws a final 6-2 lead.

Cochran took the loss, going 4.2 innings and giving up six runs on eight hits and striking out three batters. The Salt Cat bullpen did their job as Chris Couchigan, Ben McGraw (Niagara County CC) went for 1.2 scoreless innings combined. Captain Lou Liberatore (Molloy) finished the game not allowing a hit or a run and striking out an Outlaw.

Syracuse finished the regular season and with the two losses to Oneonta become the sixth seed in the playoffs. The Salt Cats will play their first post season game Wednesday at 4 pm as they travel to Wellsville to take on the powerful Nitros.