By PATRICK McGLYNN
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A three-run rally in the top of the ninth gave the Oneonta Outlaws a 4-1 win over the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Wednesday night at Onondaga Community College.
Oneonta came into the game with a team ERA of 1.92 which is the second best rate in the NYCBL. However, for the second straight day, they would come up against the Jr. Chiefs who have scored 57 runs so far, which is also the second best total in the league. Unlike Tuesday night which finished in a 5-2 Jr. Chiefs win, it would be the Oneonta arms that dominated.
Jack Fleming (North Georgia Col & State U) started on the mound for the Outlaws and he would be matched up against Tanner Whiteman (Maryland Eastern Shore) for the Jr. Chiefs.
Fleming ran into trouble first in the bottom of the third when a single from Shane Trevino (IPFW) loaded the bases for the Jr. Chiefs and Joseph Boland (St. Thomas Aquinas) stepping to the plate with two outs. Boland had hurt the Outlaws on Tuesday with two, two-out singles, both of them scoring a run. This time though, Fleming was able to get Boland to ground out to second base to escape the jam and keep the game scoreless.
“Jack Fleming did a real nice job,” said Outlaws manager Joe Hughes. “He was able to work out of some jams and keep a good hitting team down to give us a chance.”
Whiteman made his first start in eleven days, but showed very little rust. In both the fourth and fifth innings, the Outlaws led off with singles against Whiteman and then stole second base to reach scoring position without any outs. However, each time Whiteman would retire the next three Outlaws, each time stranding a runner on third base as the contest remained scoreless.
The Jr. Chiefs would finally break the tie in the bottom of the fifth inning with a display of small ball. Philip Madonna (Siena) led off the inning with a single up the middle and then advanced to second on a bunt by Justin Healey (Widener). Madonna scored the opening run when Alex Perry (Salve Regina) sent a single to left field. The Jr. Chiefs looked like they might score more when Fleming hit Trevino with a pitch to put runners on first and second with just the one out, but the southpaw picked off Perry at second base to kill the rally.
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The Outlaws broke through in the top of the sixth. Singles by Greg Saenz (Grand Canyon), Jordan Bradley (Wofford), and Taylor Maxey (Tennessee Tech) loaded the bases before Whiteman could record an out. He settled down though and got Griffin Barnes (Grand Canyon) to ground into a double play, scoring Saenz in the process. Whiteman would limit the scoring to just that run as he got the next batter out.
Fleming finished with five innings pitched and gave up just one run on four hits and six walks. Whiteman threw six frames, allowing one run on six hits and two walks to go with eight strikeouts.
After the starters came out, the two bullpens would keep the game tied at one heading into the final inning. Maxey and Barnes led off the ninth with singles and then after a strikeout, Angel Hernandez (Graceland) was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tyler Martis (Siena) and Tyler Bruno (Iona) would work consecutive walks to score a pair of runs, followed by CJ Krowiak (Binghamton) hitting a sacrifice fly to give Oneonta a 4-1 lead.
The Jr. Chiefs would threaten to tie the game in their half of the ninth, as Perry hit a two-out single, followed by a Trevino double, but Outlaws closer Joey Orlando (Binghamton) recorded the final out to get his first win of the year.
Orlando threw two shutout innings out of the Outlaws bullpen with Matthew Grier (Santa Ana) and Nate Williams (Western Carolina) each throwing a shutout inning of their own. For the Jr. Chiefs, Tyler Johnson (Whittier) pitched 2.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits with two strikeouts and picking up the loss. George Max Navadel (St, Thomas Aquinas) and Grant Weinmann (Louisville) combined to get the final two outs, with both allowing zero hits and one walk. Navadel allowed one run.
Bradley and Maxey both went 2-for-4 for the Outlaws while Perry went 2-for-5 and NYCBL hitter of the week Trevino went 2-for-4 for the J-Chiefs.
The Jr. Chiefs will host the Cortland Crush in a 2:00 pm game tomorrow at Onondaga Community College while the Outlaws will play host to the Sherill Silversmiths in a 7:00 pm game on Friday at Damaschke Field.
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