By CAMERON BOON
ONEONTA, N.Y. — Entering the eighth inning, the Syracuse Salt Cats had struggled to muster up much offense, putting up only one run on two hits against Oneonta Outlaws starter Jack Fleming (North Georgia) and subsequent reliever Anthony Scaccia (Coker).
But something clicked, and all of a sudden the Salt Cats turned a bases-loaded situation into a pair of runs, the game-winning runs, in a 3-2 victory over the Oneonta Outlaws in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Friday night at Damaschke Field.
Jose Colon (Rutgers U Camden) singled to tie the game at two apiece and then Adam Thoryk (Alma) drew a bases-loaded walk to give the Salt Cats a 3-2 advantage.
The drama was not done there, however, as the Outlaws had one last shot at coming back, and they almost did.
After Syracuse closer Cameron Jack (St. Martin’s) came on for the save in the ninth, he was able to get two strikeouts after a leadoff single and looked to have control. But, back-to-back walks loaded the bases with Jordan Bradley at the plate.
Bradley was not able to come through for the home team, grounding out to first to end what was a tight affair between two of the perennial powerhouses in the Eastern Division, each of whom made the playoffs the past two years and sit again at the top of the division.
James McCarty (SUNY Oneonta), got roughed up a little bit in his first start of the 2015 campaign, but was able to battle through it with minimal damage. The Stony Brook, NY native allowed two runs on seven hits, walking three Outlaws while striking out two of them.
Both of those runs came in the fifth inning, when the Salt Cats already had a 1-0 advantage. Zachary Krider (USC Upstate) tagged his first home run of the season to tie the game at one.
Three batters later, it was Taylor Maxey (Tennessee Tech) doing the damage, giving the Outlaws the lead with a base hit that scored Zack Blonder (Maryville).
That inning was the tipping point for McCarty, who allowed both of his runs and three of his hits in that single frame.
His challenger, Fleming, also only went five innings but had a smoother ride. He struck out five Salt Cats while only allowing two hits and the lone run in the second inning.
This was via a Julian Bilodeau (Palm Beach Atlantic) two-out base hit that scored Brian Bilello (Concordia) from second and gave Syracuse the early lead.
Maxey finished the night 2-for-3, while Hayden Gerlach (Grand Canyon) was the only other player in the game to record a multi-hit night, tallying a 2-for-4 statline.
Same time, same place tomorrow night for these two teams as a 7:00 p.m. first pitch at Damaschke Field is scheduled for the Salt Cats and Outlaws.
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