By PAUL GOTHAM
LIVONIA, N.Y. — Palmyra-Macedon’s Ian Goodness had the usual for breakfast on Tuesday morning: a mint-flavored Clif Bar and protein shake.
When your team is rolling through an undefeated season, there’s no sense making changes. Even if it’s the morning of a Section V championship game.
And Goodness provided a performance on the diamond at Livonia High School that lifted the Red Raiders to a repeat title.
Goodness reached base all three times he came to the plate and drove in five runs as top-seeded Pal-Mac defeated No. 6 Batavia, 6-1 in the 2022 Class B1 championship game.
“It feels great,” the junior first baseman said. “Two in row.”
The 6-foot-3 right-handed batter connected on a bases-clearing double in the third inning to break open a one-run game.
“With bases loaded, I just wanted to put something in play, so we could at least get a run in,” he said. “I shortened up my swing and took it [to right center].
“I was guessing pitches correctly. Every time I went up there, I had the same approach looking fastball.”
Ian Goodness clears the bases with a double to right center. No outs, bottom 3rd: Pal-Mac 5-1. Goodness has 5 RBI. pic.twitter.com/789HIEqmE7
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 31, 2022
Goodness singled through a drawn infield in the bottom of the first to erase a one-run deficit and gave Pal-Mac a lead it did not surrender.
“I didn’t see a lot of off-speed,” he explained. “Every time I went up there looking fastball, and I got what I wanted.”
The one-run lead was enough for Chris Finocchario, Jr. who improved to 8-0 on the season. The tournament MVP struck out 12 without issuing a walk. He gave up four hits on the night.
Ian Goodness singles through a drawn infield. Two cross home. Heading to the 2nd B1: @PalMacBaseball 2 @BHSScores 1 pic.twitter.com/02JR4G79tG
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 31, 2022
“I can’t put it into words,” he said after clinching the program’s second straight title. “Being here with my teammates and my teammates from last year, it just feels great. I can’t say much else.”
The senior right-hander came into the game with an ERA of 0.35 over 40 innings of work. He surrendered a home run to Cole Grazioplene on the second pitch of the game. A fastball up and in, Grazioplene drove the ball over the fence in left center.
One out later, Vince Grazioplene singled and moved to second on an error. A ground ball to the right side of the infield and Grazioplene took third.
Finocchario induced a routine flyball for the final out of the inning. He did not allow a runner past second for the remainder of the game.
“I was hitting my spots with my fastball,” he said. “My slider was getting them off-balance and then throwing it outside getting them to chase it. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn’t. But you got to get better with the next pitch and that’s what I did.”
Running his two-seam down and in to Batavia’s predominantly right-handed lineup, Finocchario was able to take advantage of the outside part of the plate with his breaking ball.
“My slider does whatever it feels like doing, I guess,” he said smiling. “Sometimes it moves like a slider. Other times it moves like a curve. It works, so I’ll stick with it.”
Cue some Stones. Chris Finocchario painting black. Right-hander has seven K through four. Pal-Mac 5 Batavia 1 pic.twitter.com/A5JVsN3BPd
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 31, 2022
Alex Wootton drove in the other Pal-Mac run with a two-out double in the fourth. Wootton reached base all four times he came to the plate with a walk and a pair of hit by pitch. The senior shortstop scored twice.
Alex Wootton shot makes it 6-1 Pal-Mac. Two outs in the fourth. pic.twitter.com/eTksQmH1Oq
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 31, 2022
Noah Brooks had two hits including a double and scored on Wootton’s two-bagger. Paul Goodness singled twice, was hit by a pitch and scored twice.
Finocchario scored from first on the Ian Goodness double in the third.
“As soon as he hit the ball, I’m like ‘that’s a gapper.’ I got on my horse. As soon as I turned my head, I was watching my coach give me the go sign. I turned on the boosters.”
Pal-Mac (22-0) will play Class B2 champion Haverling in the NYS Regional Qualifier scheduled for Wednesday night back at Livonia. A 5 p.m. first pitch is slated.
The title was the third in Pal-Mac program history. The Red Raiders have a record of 38 wins and 2 losses over the past two seasons.
Cole Grazioplene had two of Batavia’s four hits. Alex Johnson added a one-out single in the fourth. The Blue Devils finished the season with 12 wins and 9 losses.
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