By STEVE BRADLEY
ROCHESTER, N.Y. – Small ball is taking the Webster Thomas baseball team big places.
The Titans used two squeeze bunts to score four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Williamsville East 5-1 Saturday morning at Innovative Field in the state Class AA quarterfinals.
Thomas (19-5) has won 15 straight games and will play either Horseheads-IV in the Titans’ first state semifinal appearance since 2005. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Union Endicott High School.
“We worked hard every day in practice and it all came together,” said winning pitcher Max Seaver, a sophomore who allowed four hits while walking three and striking out three in six innings of work. “Now we are playing for a state title.”
Shortstop Tyler Estelle led off the decisive sixth with an infield single. Senior Joey Baller followed with a walk and Trevor LeRoy turned a nine-pitch at-bat into a walk to load the bases.
Rosa, whose sacrifice bunt helped the Titans score their first run in the second inning, bunted again and Thomas took a 3-1 lead when the throw home went over the catcher’s head allowing Estelle and Baller to score. LeRoy advanced to third and Rosa moved to second on the play.
Centerfielder Nate Caracci followed with another squeeze that resulted in an infield hit. LeRoy scored on the bunt, and Rosa came home when the throw to first base sailed into right field.
“When you get this deep in the season, runs are hard to come by,” Thomas coach Kevin Neenan said. “We work on bunting every day and it’s good to be able to use it when you need it and Drew and Nate did a great job executing.”
For the Titans it was an example of preparation paying off.
“We practice it all the time,” catcher Parker Carley said. “Off the machine, off of coach, off live pitching, it’s always something that we can go to if we need it.”
The game was a pitchers’ duel through five innings between Seaver and Williamsville East’s Eric Osterstrom, who allowed an unearned run on just two hits while striking out four through five innings.
Seaver was equally impressive, working out of jams in both the second and third innings before retiring 10 of the last 11 batters he faced.
“He just seemed so calm and level-headed” Carley said. “Everything seemed to be moving the way we wanted it to in warmups and we went from there. He just knows how to lead the team, which is pretty impressive for a sophomore.”
Seaver said he was not nervous about getting the ball to start the biggest game of the season.
“I just came out and did what I do,” Seaver said. “My defense was outstanding today, I trust them. I pitch to contact and let them do their job. I don’t pitch for strikeouts.”
Thomas jumped in front first as LeRoy reached on an error to lead off the bottom of the second. Rosa sacrificed him to second. Caracci singled to center and LeRoy scored on an errant throw that eluded the third baseman and rolled toward the Flames’ dugout.
Williamsville East evened things in the top of the third on an RBI single by Noah Hoffman, but Seaver limited the damage by registering a strikeout and infield pop-up to get out of the inning.
Caracci finished with two hits and an RBI and LeRoy scored two runs for Thomas. Estelle, Owen Zimmer and Cameron Guffey also had hits for the Titans.
Noah Hoffman led Williamsville East (16-7) with two hits.
Connor Smith relieved Seaver in the seventh, allowing a lead-off single before retiring the final three batters to earn the Titans four more days of practice and a trip to the Binghamton area.
“That’s been our motto the whole time, ‘let’s get another week together,’” Neenan said. “Our 12 seniors have been great and the character and camaraderie that this team has is outstanding. Every day has been fun.”
Leave a Reply