By Kathryne Davis
SHERRILL, N.Y. — Kevin Brice (Pomona-Pitzer College) went 3-5 and scored one run as the Sherrill Silversmiths won a close 7-6 game against the Syracuse Salt Cats in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Noyes Park on Saturday afternoon.
Syracuse jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Anthony Morino (Mt. Union College) singled in the second at-bat of the game and later scored after Cody LaBadia (Southern Vermont College) reached on an error.
The Silversmiths took the lead in the bottom half of the inning. Bryan Baquer (Washington College) led off with a walk and scored on a triple by Reid Neal (Florida Atlantic U). Neal scored on a single by J. C. Pena (Central Florida).
Adam Thoryk (St. John Fisher) singled to begin the next inning. He scored and tied the game up on a double by Morino.
Brice hit a ground rule double in the third. Pena walked right after. Both scored on a big double by Mitch Cavanagh (St. Johns U), to break up the tie.
Morino started off the fifth with a single. He scored on a double by Tom Nagy (Bentley U). Jon Borchert (Keuka College) hit the ball and Nagy scored. Borchert got out trying to stretch his single into a double, which ended the inning before the Salt Cats could do more damage.
Sherrill grabbed two runs off a big hit by Jack McClure (St. Bonaventure). In the previous at-bat, Cavanagh singled to reach base. On the first pitch he saw, McClure blasted a home run to break another tie and put his team ahead.
Ellington Hopkins (Monroe CC) hit a double. While Baquer was batting, Hopkins stole third, then ran home for another run.
With two outs in the eighth inning, Syracuse scored two runs to make it a one run game. The bases were loaded for Zach Raczok (St. Martin’s College). The runners moved up on a wild pitch, which allowed Nagy to score. Right after the wild pitch, Raczok hit a single, bringing in John Galanoudis (Molloy College). Ryan Roman (Concordia College) grounded out to the second baseman to end the inning.
Hopkins pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to earn the save. Overall, he tossed two innings, giving up two runs on four hits while striking out one.
Christian Triplett (North Carolina Central) got the win for the Silversmiths. He went seven innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. Triplett also walked two and struck out four.
Matt Bell (Palm Beach Atlantic College) took the loss for the Salt Cats after he gave up two runs on five hits. He had one strikeout.
Morino was the only Syracuse player with more than one hit. He had three, while scoring two runs and knocking in one.
For Sherrill, Baquer, Kellen Brown (Florida Atlantic U), Pena, Cavanagh and Hopkins all had two hits apiece. Baquer and Hopkins both scored one run. Pena scored once and had one RBI. Cavanagh scored once and grabbed two RBIs.
Andrew Congleton (Mesa CC) and Evan Flanagan (Rhode Island) pitched one scoreless inning each. Congleton struck out three and gave up two hits. Flanagan did not allow a hit.
The Silversmiths (23-23) finished in third place in the Eastern Division and will travel and play their first playoff game in franchise history against Oneonta (27-19) at 7 p.m. The Outlaws finished second in the division.
Syracuse (23-23) is also in the playoffs and will travel to take on the first place team, the Geneva Red Wings (30-16) at 6 p.m.
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