By Paul Gotham
WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — Connor Griffin (SUNY Cortland) had just one job for the evening. The Cortland pinch hitter took care of business despite an unorthodox request.
Griffin’s RBI sacrifice bunt in the top of the ninth proved to be the difference as Cortland’s Crush defeated the Wellsville Nitros, 6-4 for their first win in New York Collegiate Baseball League history.
Griffin brought home pinch runner Benjamin Langey (Gettysburg College) to break open a 4-4 tie.
“There was a lot of pressure on the young man,” Cortland head coach Yale Hughes Sr. said. “He came through.”
With bases loaded and a force in place, Griffin pushed the ball to the right side of the infield and nearly reached safely.
“When you go bases loaded, suicide squeeze, that’s a gamble,” Hughes explained. “You have a force play at home plate, but we had our best bunter up. It just worked out for us.”
Greg Jasek (Clarkson) started the ninth with a walk and gave way to Langey. Yale Hughes Jr. (West Liberty University) and Connor Dwyer (Saginaw Valley St.) loaded the bases with back-to-back hit by pitches. Griffin took over from there.
“Coach told me the inning prior that if that situation came up, I’d probably go in for that one job,” Griffin commented. “When I did get up, he told me to take a strike. We got that, and we were on. I just put it down.”
Hughes added an insurance run when he took advantage of an error during a rundown between third and home.
Tom Taplin (U of Buffalo/via Pulaski HS) made the lead stand. The right hander retired the side in order in the ninth for his first win, and the first win in Cortland’s history.
“It’s great feeling,” Taplin said. “A great win for the organization. Huge for the city of Cortland. It’s good to be a part of.”
Taplin came on with one out in the eighth and a runner on second. He struck out the first batter he faced and induced an infield pop up to end the threat. He got two ground balls and a routine fly ball in the ninth.
“I know here I’m not going to strike out a lot of guys out,” Taplin said. “I got to get ground balls and give my defense an opportunity to back me up. It’s a great feeling to be out there on the mound and let everybody hit the ball all over the place and know there’s going to be a guy there to make the play.”
Wes Burghardt (SUNY Brockport) staked Cortland to a two-run lead in the seventh. The ABCA All-Region selection went opposite field with a first pitch fastball and delivered Josh Savacool (Ithaca).
“We had the hit and run on first pitch,” Burghardt noted. “I knew what I was looking for. I found a good spot to hit it.”
Wellsville rallied twice in the game.
Trailing 1-0 in the fourth, Joe Simmons (St. John Fisher) singled up the middle to start the frame. One out later, Joseph Hatcher (Louisville, KY) singled over the outstretched glove of Burghardt at second. After a hit by pitch loaded the bases and passed ball scored a run, Jordan Wheaton (Alfred State) brought home Hatcher with a ground ball.
Alec Bahnick (Webster U) drove in two with a two-out single in the seventh to know the score at four.
“Sometimes you just don’t get the bounces,” Wellsville coach Pat Leipold said. “They got a couple of key hits. That hit and run that pulled our second baseman. That’s a costly one. You don’t catch all the breaks sometimes. I’m very pleased with the way guys played.”
Dan Harms (Mansfield) started and went six full for the Nitros. The right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on two hits, struck out four and walked three.
“He definitely didn’t disappoint,” Leipold added. “He definitely competed, and that’s something we’ve preached since the guys got here on Wednesday.”
Zachary Racusin (Essex CC) walked, had a hit and scored a run for Cortland.
Jasek added a hit and a run scored for the Crush.
Ben Parkes (Ithaca) started and went three and a third for Cortland. The southpaw fanned one, walked one and allowed two unearned runs.
Bahnick and Simmons each rapped two hits for Wellsville.
Cortland gets a day off before hosting 2013 NYCBL Champ Oneonta. First pitch at Beaudry Park is slated for 7 pm.
Wellsville hosts Hornell for a 5 pm start on Monday.
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