By Nate Discavage
ONEONTA, N.Y. — Bryan Baquer (Washington College) highlighted a furious ninth-inning rally as the Sherrill Silversmiths erased a two-run deficit and defeated the Oneonta Outlaws, 7-6 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Damaschke Field, Saturday night.
Baquer plated Ellington Hopkins (Monroe CC) with a one-out triple to knot the score at six as the Silversmiths went on to finish off the Outlaws and clinch their first playoff spot in franchise history. The Woodbridge, VA native connected on a 1-1 offering from Jaren Drummond (Grand Canyon) as the Smitties recovered after giving up an early lead.
“I just wanted to see the ball and hit the ball—keep it simple,” Baquer said. “I just wanted to keep playing good baseball and get ready for the playoffs.”
It was the second triple on the night for the Sherrill centerfielder.
Kellen Brown (Florida Atlantic) delivered the game-winner with a base hit.
Baquer led the game with a triple and scored on a Brown sacrifice fly. Reid Neal (Florida Atlantic) followed with a single, and Sherrill scored four before the Outlaws got to the plate. Neal finished 4-5 with a run scored on the night.
“We saw that lefty [Drummond] again who has throw against us five or six times and I think I was a career 0-for against him. He’s been really good,” Neal said. “All I tried to do was see the ball out of his hand and saw two good pitches. I flicked a single there in the end.”
Christian Triplett (North Carolina Central University) tacked on another run with a sacrifice fly. Justin Datillo (University of Maryland-Eastern Shore) and David Wright (SUNY Oneonta) hit back-to-back RBI singles to put Sherrill ahead 4-0.
Oneonta responded in dramatic fashion in the fourth.
After retiring the first two batters, Sherrill starter Jack McClure (St. Bonaventure) hit Ramon Osuna Sanchez (College of Charleston) and Jimmy Hand (Northeastern) on two straight pitches before Matt Bolger (University of South Alabama) walked. Frank D’Agostino (Temple University) stepped up to the plate and launched the ball over the right field fence for a grand slam to tie the game at four. It was the first home run hit at Damaschke Field this season. The ball traveled well over the 335 foot fence in right.
“I knew I hit it well; it was the best ball I’ve hit all year,” D’Agostino said. “I have been struggling the whole season hitting wise and have been working with [Outlaws’ assistant coach] Atlee [Pearson] the last few days.”
The Outlaws continued their hot hitting in the bottom of the fifth inning. Dan Fickas (University of South Carolina-Upstate) put Oneonta ahead with an RBI double. Osuna Sanchez hit an RBI single to right to extend Oneonta’s lead to 6-4.
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Oneonta held the lead until the ninth inning. Drummond struck out the first batter of the inning before David Wright (SUNY Oneonta) and Hopkins hit back-to-back singles. With runners at first and second, the Silversmiths called for a double steal. Outlaws’ catcher, Kyle Brennan (University of Buffalo) gunned a throw down to second, but there was nobody there to cover the bag, and the throw rolled into center field. Wright scored to make it 6-5. Baquer followed with the triple.
Outlaws’ coach, Joe Hughes was disappointed with the loss but knows his team can turn it around.
“They just wouldn’t go away in the ninth inning. They strung together a couple of hits and came out with a good victory. This one stings a little bit, but hopefully we can put somebody away or finish the job when we have somebody on the ropes,” Hughes said. “You can’t ever lay down on them, and you have to keep playing nine full innings.
While ecstatic to hit the grand slam, D’Agostino was frustrated with the loss.
“It’s a tough way to lose a game. We beat them in every aspect of the game aside from the first inning,” the 6’3 junior from New Jersey said. “We’ll get them tomorrow though.”
Cory Poplawski (Salve Regina University) earned the win. The right-handed reliever struck out two and allowed one hit over two shutout innings. Poplawski lowered his ERA to 2.36 and improved to 2-1.
Drummond fell to 2-1 after allowing three runs on five hits in two and two-thirds innings pitched. His ERA rose to 2.48.
Alec Romanowski (Stevenson University) started and went five and two-thirds for Oneonta. He allowed the four first-inning runs before settling down and cruising for the rest of his start.
McClure allowed six runs in seven innings. He struck out four.
Although it is still the regular season, the game had a playoff atmosphere with the crowd of 1390 spectators abuzz and highly attentive after being introduced to “Baseball Bingo.” The ballgame lived up to the hype.
Oneonta fell to 23-16. They will travel to Sherrill tomorrow for a rematch with the Silversmiths (21-17). Both teams trail the Geneva Red Wings in the Eastern Division.
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