By DAVID DOBRASZ
Connor Gresens and Tyler Stack both went 2-for-3 with two RBI to pace a 14-hit attack as Greece Post 468 (20-1-1) rallied for three runs with two outs in the third to defeat the Orange County Outlaws Post 1167 (10-3), 8-5 on Wednesday at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton, N.Y.
Gresens followed back-to-back one-out singles from James Capellupo and Brody Froman in the fifth with a two-run base hit to centerfield to make it 7-1. The catcher added a one-out single in the seventh.
Stack singled and scored in the third. The centerfielder added a sacrifice fly in the fourth and an RBI-double in the sixth to cap the scoring for Greece Post.
Jack Cannon reached on an error with two outs in the third to bring around Jaden Madrid and Stack to give his team a 2-1 lead. Capellupo singled to left on the next at-bat to bring home the Webster Schroeder graduate.
Madrid went 3-for-4 with a bunt-single to plate Kaleb Juliano in the fourth to make it 4-1. Froman finished with three base hits in the game.
Gage Wheaton struck out five batters and allowed five hits and two runs through the first five innings. Troy McPherson entered in the sixth and retired the final batter to work out of a two-baserunner jam. The hurler retired the final three batters in order after allowing a walk in the seventh.
Designated hitter Bryceton Berry went 1-for-2 with a single in the third.
For Orange County Post 1167, Jake Laura went 2-for-4 with a two-run double with one down in a three-run bottom of the sixth. Bradley Mateo added a two-out Rbi-single in the frame, to go with an RBI-ground-out in the fifth. Jeter Nolasco plated Jake DeMaro with a one-out base hit to open the scoring in the first.
With the win, Greece Post 468 has clinched the number one seedT in the single-elimination semifinal round of the New York State American Legion Baseball Tournament.
Last year, Greece Post won four straight games and outscored its opponents 21-3 to advance to the American Legion Baseball Northeast Regional tournament.
The Cougars will have a rematch against the fourth-seeded Outlaws on Thursday. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Mirabito Stadium in Binghamton, N.Y.
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