By PAUL GOTHAM
LIVONIA, N.Y. — Kendall baseball had waited more than two decades for a sectional title, so what was a few more hours.
Leading 5-0 when rain caused the suspension of play Friday night at Dwyer Stadium in Batavia, the Eagles made sure to keep their momentum when the contest resumed on Saturday.
And Tournament MVP Gavin Braun didn’t allow Genesee Valley-Belfast a chance to come back.
Braun scattered five hits in a complete-game shutout, and top-seeded Kendall (22-1) claimed the 2025 Section V Class C2 title with a 6-0 victory over No. 2 Genesee Valley-Belfast (21-2) at Livonia’s Saunders Stadium on Saturday.
“It feels really good,” the senior right-hander said. “It’s crazy, surreal.”
Braun faced the minimum in the first, second and fourth innings, but was at his best with traffic on the bases.
With runners on second and third and no outs in the fifth, he retired the next three batters. He ended the threat with a breaking ball that was his out pitch when he needed it.
“I was making sure to set it up with the fastball and really hitting my spots,” he said. “I focused on every pitch and made sure I was throwing strikes.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM LAURA ACCIAIO.
In the sixth, he left a leadoff double at second, and with two aboard in the seventh, he set down the next three batters. He finished the game with his ninth strike out.
“Gavin is special because he doesn’t think about it,” said Kendall head coach Tige Noni. “He doesn’t let it get to his head. He has the confidence in himself and the confidence in his teammates to pick him up which is huge.”
The sectional title was the second in program history and first since 1999.
“It feels amazing,” said junior shortstop Vinnie D’Agostino who finished 2-for-2 with a run scored. “We’ve been working for this our whole lives waiting to get to this moment. This was all we wanted.”
Kendall baseball was making its first sectional final appearance since 2014 when as a 10-seed the Eagles advanced to the CC title game before losing to Avon, 3-0. In the years following that trip to the championship game, the Eagles’ program dipped. A 17-seed in 2015, Kendall combined with neighboring school Holley to put a team on the field in 2016 and 2017. In 2021 when Covid forced a limited sectional field, the Eagles didn’t qualify for the postseason.
A year ago, Noni’s squad fell in the semifinals to eventual NYS final four participant, Bolivar-Richburg. It was the second straight trip to the semis.
“I knew it was coming because I knew these kids when they were young,” Noni said. “I knew it just a matter of time. I knew they were going to be special. I didn’t know exactly how special. At the beginning of the year, I told them that they were the best team all in on paper. I told them the first day of practice you haven’t done anything yet. If you want to do it, you got to go out and prove it, and they did.”
Saturday’s win was the 15th straight for the Eagles who have outscored their postseason opponents by a combined score of 20-2.
“We’ve had a lot of teams that were one-off, two-off players,” Noni said. “We haven’t had a team that was 1-through-12, 1-through-15 and have JV players that can come up and take roles. We’ve never had this before. We’ve had some really, really good players, but not surrounded by the rest. This is the formula for the success. Having the dedication that they have. They play in the off-season and all the stuff that they do. That comes from the support of their parents, programs they’ve been in – travel ball. It’s huge.”
Nic Cole plated two with a double to highlight a four-run Kendall first inning. Johnny Conte led the frame with a single. Charlie D’Agostino reached on an error. Another pair of defensive miscues led to the first two runs of the game.
Vinnie D’Agostino and Colby Hughes followed with back-to-back base hits. One out later, Cole added two more runs.
Conte scored twice in the win. Michael Colucci also crossed home plate.
Kendall will face C1 champion Geneseo in the regional qualifier. That game is scheduled for a 6 p.m. first pitch, Tuesday night at Dwyer Stadium.
The four-plus innings on Saturday were played in temperatures that hovered around 45 degrees.
Section V Notes: The three other sectional finals scheduled for Saturday were all postponed until Sunday. The Class A final between Pittsford Mendon and Eastridge will have a 10 a.m. first pitch at Dwyer Stadium. A 2 p.m. start is scheduled at Hornell for the Class D championship between Arkport-Canaseraga and Fillmore. Wellsville and Le Roy in the Class B final will follow at 5 p.m. also at Hornell.
Colby Hughes comes up throwing to retire the side in the top of the first. Class C2: Genesee Valley-Belfast 0 Kendall coming to the plate. pic.twitter.com/J42KwBS6tw
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 30, 2025
Nick Cole one hope the fence in right, brings in a pair. One out in the first. Kendall 4 GV-B 0 Class C2 pic.twitter.com/mdLc0Y70eL
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 31, 2025
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