By KEVIN OKLOBZIJA
When you’re facing one of Section V’s better pitchers in a semifinal playoff game, you’re well aware that one swing, one pitch or one play in the field could determine the outcome.
So imagine the surprise for the Greece Athena Trojans when they vaulted to a 5-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Joe Wintermute on Friday evening.
“I did not expect that, not against that kid,” Athena coach Jason Bunting said. “If you had told me we’d put up a five-spot in the first inning, I’d have never believed you.”
It goes without saying that Bunting never could have imagined the 8-0 lead his team built after an inning and a half en route to an 8-3 victory and a berth in Tuesday’s Section V Class A title game at top-seeded Webster Thomas.
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“But believing you can do it is half the battle,” Bunting said. “Scoring those five runs in the first inning let the kids think we were in control.”
The No. 3 Trojans (17-4) indeed were in command, and their defense never allowed the Eagles a chance to gain momentum. Every time the potent Irondequoit hitting attack threatened to mount a rally – which was in the second, fourth, fifth and sixth innings — someone for Athena made a play in the field or a tattooed ball was hit right at a defender.
“Their defense played great and our hard hit balls were hit right at them,” said Irondequoit coach Joe Kuhn, whose second-seeded club finished 16-4. “Their left fielder (Matt Tallini) played a great game.”
Actually, Tallini played a great game just in the fourth inning, making all three putouts. First, he somehow tracked down a blast by Paul Tuttle that upon leaving the bat pitcher Donovan Wallace figured was a home run.
“As soon as I saw it I thought it was gone,” Wallace said.
Tallini, however, had other ideas and raced full speed to his right before making the lunging catch.
“It was hit well but as I got closer I said, ‘I got this,’ ” the junior outfielder said.
He wasn’t done flashing leather, however. The next batter, Carraig Jones, belted a pitch to left field that Tallini drifted back and battled the wind before hauling it in. Then he caught Nick Calarco’s fly ball to end the fourth.
Except his show still wasn’t over. Jaleel Davis led off the fifth against reliever Connor Osier by driving a sinking liner to short left. But Tallini robbed him of the hit, racing inward before diving and making the shoestring catch.
For those counting, that was four consecutive putouts, two of the spectacular variety. Tallini said his failure at the plate provided extra determination.
“In third inning I had a really, really, really bad at-bat,” he said of a three-pitch strikeout. “I knew I had to do something in field.”
In the Eagles sixth, Irondequoit had runners on first and second with one out when Tuttle hit a hit foul ball that was headed out of play and would give the power-hitting designated hitter another swing.
Except Athena third baseman T.J. Kurtz sped toward the Eagles dugout and reached up and over the fence to snare the ball.
Those defensive gems were critical because after the early outburst, the Trojans produced nothing offensively. Wintermute gave up just one hit over the final five innings, pitching the complete game.
“When he got in his groove, we didn’t touch him,” Bunting said.
Said Kuhn: “Joey didn’t have his curve working early but then he puts up five scoreless. I couldn’t be prouder of the way he rebounded. Who gives up eight and pitches a complete game?”
Osier drove home three runs for the Trojans while Dylan Bliss, Vic Alongi and Kurtz each had two hits.
Athena’s last sectional championship came in 2007. They have been runners-up four times since.
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