by TYLER HATHAWAY
PENFIELD, N.Y– Trailing by two runs after the top of the 11th inning, Cottreall-Warner Post 942 (18-5) plated three runners in succession in the bottom of the frame to rally and take down previously unbeaten Hamburg Post 527 (17-1) by a score of 7-6 during the second round of the NYS American Legion Championship at Penfield High School on Sunday afternoon.
With one out, Tyler Estelle scored Max Caron on an RBI single before Sam Roselli wore a ball to score Brady Sayers to tie the game. Conor Forkey then worked a 2-1 count before getting hit by a pitch to plate Nick Rene for the winning run. It’s the Canal Dogs’ ninth win in their past 10 games.
“We’ve had a saying all year,” said Forkey. “FIO, figure it out. We figured it out. It was hard at times. Going down 6-4, there were other points too we were on the ropes, two outs, two strikes.”
“Credit to our players,” said coach Gary McNeil. “There was a lot of ups and downs, and they kept their composure. They had a lot of opportunities to win and we couldn’t come through. But we never gave up, and they just waited till the next opportunity and gave it their best again. Credit to them for staying calm, cool, and collected and just getting the job done.”
“We just fight,” said Garrett McNeil. “We play for each other. We’ve been playing with each other for a while now. We know how to fight.”
The Canal Dogs looked like they were going to fall short in the seventh inning. Hamburg scored two runs in the sixth and seventh innings to grab a 4-2 lead and retired two of the first three batters in the seventh before getting Garrett McNeil to two strikes. But McNeil drove a ball over the left field fence to score himself and Roselli, forcing extras.
“The swing felt great,” said McNeil of the game-tying homer. “Got it to two strikes, I was looking for a pitch I could drive and I got it. Middle in, I got a hold of it, and took it over the fence.”
McNeil finished 2-for-5 with three RBI. It was his second home run of the state tournament.
“I’m proud of him,” said Gary McNeil. “That’s tough to do when you have to hit one to tie it, especially when you get to two strikes. I think he just shortened his swing and put the ball in play. A lot of times, good things happen when you do that. I think he came in with an approach, and once he got to two strikes, he just shortened up, and happened to catch a barrel.”
The victory avenged a loss to Hamburg in last year’s state tournament.
“I wasn’t on the team last year, but I heard about from our guys the beating that we got from them, 18-0,” said Forkey. “I’m a player where I don’t like to lose. And finding out that they lost that way, I had to do everything that I could to help us get to 2-0 and move to the winner’s bracket and get us in the driver’s seat.”
“Hamburg is really good,” said Gary McNeil. “We played them last year, a lot of the same players on both teams, and they took it to us. We wanted to see if we could come in and compete with them this year. I’m proud of our guys for being able to step up to that level. We know they’re good, we respect them a lot. You have to be on your game, there were times today where we weren’t, but we were able to collect ourselves, do what we needed to do, and get the W.”
Roselli gave Cottreall-Warner the lead in the first inning with an RBI. He finished 3-for-5 with two RBI, a drawn walk and a scored run. He also got the starting nod for the Canal Dogs and struck out six over five one-hit innings.
Hamburg Post took a 2-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning before McNeil scored Tyler Estelle to tie the game at two. Estelle finished with two singles in a double, in addition to the run and an RBI.
Brady Sayers singled twice and scored. Nick Rene singled, scored twice, and walked twice. Max Caron had a base hit, walked, and crossed home plate once. Drew Gruba and Pete Hoffman each singled. Henry Shutts walked.
On the mound, Shutts and Connor Smith each tossed an inning of relief, with Shutts adding a strikeout. Jake DiCicco and Tyler Gordner each pitched two innings of relief with a strikeout, with Gordner throwing the final two innings and getting the win.
For Hamburg Post, Brady Case struck out four over four innings of starting pitching. Daniel Reese and Aidan Curran each tossed three innings of relief, with Reese striking out one and Curran three. Clayton Kline had a solo-shot home run and walked. Jonah Moscato had a pair of doubles and got on base once via a walk. Jacob Hudson had an RBI single and scored. Luke Golembiewski singled, scored, and walked. Ashton Putney scored twice and walked. Matthew King singled. Cole Notaro plated a runner. Ethan Osetkowski walked. Chase Porter tossed the final third inning.
Cottreall-Warner will take on the winner of Kingston-Saugerties and Hillcrest Post on Monday night. If the Canal Dogs win, they’ll be one win away from a state championship.
“It’s a tough tournament,” said Gary McNeil. You play five or six games, so everybody, all 16 guys have to step up and have a part in almost every game. It’s kind of cool in that way that the roster’s big, and everyone has a role to play if you’re gonna try to continue and move on.
“FIO, figuring it out,” Forkey said of what it will take for them to get it done. “It’s hard times and easy times no matter what. Just learning how to battle through adversity. We’ve faced I think the best competition in the state, District 7 has proven that we have some of the top dudes in the state, top arms, top bats. So if we can figure it out and battle through adversity, we’re gonna be a tough team to beat.”
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