By CODY LOVE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Pitching is what got the Salt Cats their success in the regular season, and it has them off to a good start in the playoffs.
Starter Cameron Jack (Mt. Hood CC), out-dueled his counterpart Cory Poplawski (Salve Regina) as the Syracuse Salt Cats prevailed against the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs 3-0 in a tense first game of the New York Collegiate Baseball League Divisional Series at Onondaga Community College on Sunday night.
Jack started off with three perfect innings, before the Jr. Chiefs got their first hit of the day on a Michael Elfreth (Widener) bunt single.
“Just attacking these guys,” Jack said, explaining his strategy in the game. “Just got to shut them down by throwing good pitches and working with each batter ahead of time.”
Jack ended up holding the Jr. Chiefs scoreless through seven innings pitched, allowing just three hits and two walks. He struck out five.
“He’s a fundamentally sound pitcher,” Salt Cats manager Mike Martinez said. “His hard work propels him to the next level.”
Poplawski went toe-to-toe with Jack through five and a third innings.
“He played his butt off tonight,” Jr. Chiefs manager Matt Colbert said. “He threw a lot of strikes and kept us in the ballgame for as long as he possibly could.”
He had allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out five.
However, the Salt Cats finally got to him with one out in the six.
Brian Bilello (Concordia) led the inning off with a single.
A deep shot to left field by Matt Mastroianni (SUNY Oneonta) resulted in an RBI double that proved to be the game-winner.
“I got ahead in the count and was looking for a fastball,” Mastroianni said. “I got one I was able to drive.”
A .393 hitter against the Jr. Chiefs during the regular season, Mastroianni continued to swing a hot bat against the Salt Cats’ in-town rivals, nearly hitting that ball out of the park.
“To be honest, I don’t know what it is,” he said. “We do have a little bit of a rivalry, makes it more fun to come play against them.”
Cameron Dias (Rutgers-Newark) came to the plate next and also ripped a ball deep into left field, hitting the bottom of the wall and resulting in an RBI double.
“Just fouled off his good pitches, trying to get one hittable,” Dias said. “Just tired him out and he threw a slider over the plate that I was able to handle.”
Dias finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk, building success off of his ability to work deep counts and make the pitcher work.
“Coach Martinez always says protect with two,” Dias said. “Just trying to get good team at-bats.”
“Cam’s got a good eye,” Martinez said. “He’s a tough out…he knows how to read counts, keeps his eye on the ball, and hits it hard.”
A third Salt Cats run came in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Zachary Blecher (Union), thanks to smart baserunning by Evan Holland (Florida International).
Holland walked with one out, and reached second on a wild pitch.
Adam Thoryk (Alma) popped out to first baseman Alex Perry (Salve Regina) in right field foul territory.
The ball was deep enough for Holland to tag and reach third.
Lucas Tevlin (Binghamton) then walked and Bilello worked a 3-1 count.
Tevlin broke for second on the next pitch, which was low for ball four, but drew a throw from catcher Phillip Madonna (Siena).
Holland took off for home on the throw and made it their safely to close the game’s scoring.
Kyle Perez (SUNY Brockport) and Matthew Colon (Cumberland County College) each pitched a scoreless inning of relief for the Salt Cats.
Jack was the winning pitcher, with the loss charged to Poplawski.
Colon picked up the save.
No players on either team had a multi-hit day, and the doubles by Dias and Mastroianni were the only extra-base hits.
The Salt Cats left 11 runners on base while the Jr. Chiefs left eight.
This was the second postseason win for the Salt Cats in franchise history
With the win, the Salt Cats take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three NYCBL Divisional Series.
The Jr. Chiefs will host game two Monday night at 7:00 at Onondaga Community College facing elimination, and look to put this game behind them.
“You’ve just got to erase it,” Colbert said. “Just come tomorrow and leave it all out on the field.”
The Salt Cats will come out looking for the sweep, and their first postseason series win in franchise history.
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