By KATHRYNE DAVIS
SHERRILL, N.Y. — Zephan Kash (Mansfield U) went 3-for-5 with a three-run home run and two singles as the Cortland Crush defeated the Sherrill Silversmiths 5-4 on Sunday afternoon at Noyes Park in New York Collegiate Baseball League action.
Cortland got on the board in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Julian Gallup (Niagara U) hit a bunt pop-up that the first baseman was unable to control. That allowed Sean Getman (SUNY Cortland) to score. The Silversmiths got the last runner out, leaving the bases loaded for Cortland.
The score remained 1-0 in favor of Cortland until the sixth inning. Cortland put up four runs to distance themselves from Sherrill. Wesley Burghardt (SUNY Brockport) scored on a Nicholas Panissidi (Neumann Col) bunt. Gallup singled after Panissidi to give the Crush another base runner. Later in the inning, Neil McCormack (Le Moyne Col) walked. The next batter, Kash, blasted the first pitch he saw over the right field fence for a three-run home run.
Sherrill got one back in the bottom of the seventh. Sean Mullins (SUNY Oneonta) reached first on a fielder’s choice and advanced to second on a throwing error by the second baseman. He crossed home on a Zach Taylor (Haverford Col) single.
Cortland saw its lead almost vanish in the eighth inning. For Sherrill, Jake Dyer (Ft. Scott CC) led off the inning with a single. He stole second and later reached third. Dyer scored on a Jake Pendred (Saginaw Valley St U) single. The next batter, Kevin Jordan, drove a pitch over right field, around the same area Cash’s home run was hit in the sixth inning. Jordan’s home run made it a one-run ballgame.
“Kevin is having a heck of a year,” said Silversmiths head coach Bob Shaffer.
After the home run, Schaffer told his team to keep in mind the game Sherrill played against Cortland two days before. The Silversmiths were 7-0 before Cortland came back at home and walked off with a 8-7 win. Shaffer told them to imagine what it would feel like to be able to do the same.
In the ninth, Cortland pitcher Matt Yonta (Union Col) got the final three batters out in order to secure the win for his team. Yonta pitched 1 2/3 innings and had one strikeout to earn the save.
This was the third game in a row the two teams have faced off against each other. Each of those wins saw the Crush winning by one run. Shaffer sees this as the team stepping in the right direction.
“Hopefully the breaks start to fall our way,” he said.
The Silversmiths have three more games to play before the All-Star break. Shaffer believes that his team can take two out of three of those games. “Maybe the momentum will carry through the break.”
For Cortland, coach Bill McConnell finds games against Sherrill to be difficult, due to the team’s play and willingness to keep fighting.
“It’s always hard against Sherrill,” he said. “The field has its challenges.”
McConnell was impressed with how Kash played the game.
“Zephan is an all-star,” he said. “He led by his hitting.”
McConnell also felt his team’s other all-star had an impressive game due to the three bunt hits he had on the night.
Shaelim Edmonds (Howard Payne U) started for Cortland and pitched six shutout innings to take the win. He gave up seven hits and struck out six. Crae Watkins (Lincoln U) went on to pitch the seventh inning. He allowed one run on one hit while striking out one. Chris Rupprecht (Neumann Col) gave up three runs on three hits and only got one out before he was taken out of the game.
Nicholas Radich (Pomona-Pitzer Col) started for the Silversmiths. He pitched six innings and gave up 12 hits and five runs. He also walked one and struck out three in the loss. Thomas Bond (SUNY Oneonta) pitched the seventh and only gave up one hit. Mullins pitched a scoreless eighth, giving up one hit and striking out one. William Fellows (St. Lawrence U) went on to pitch the final frame, allowing one hit and striking out one.
Not only did Mullins have an impressive inning on the mound, he also helped the team at the plate. He went 2-for-4 with two singles and scored one run. Dyer went 3-4 and led the Silversmiths in hits with three singles. Connor Bowie (Mt. Aloysius Col) went 2-for-4 with a single and a double.
For Cortland, William George Haaland (Trinity U) went 2-for-5 with two singles. Also having multiple hits was Luke Gilbert (SUNY Brockport). Gilbert went 2-for-3 with a single and a double.
Sherrill (7-27) will take on the Geneva Red Wings at home in Noyes Park at 5 p.m. Cortland (21-15) goes on the road for a double header against the Oneonta Outlaws at Damaschke Field. First pitch it at 7 p.m.
Leave a Reply