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May 28, 2011
The Week in Sports • North Countryman - 23
Chazy earns top seed in playoffs by ousting Beagles in MVAC’s By Keith Lobdell
Chazy Westport/Keene
keith@denpubs.com KEENE VALLEY — The Chazy Eagles took advantage of the breaks and eliminated several Westport/Keene Beagles from the basepaths as they claimed a birth in the Mountain and Valley Athletic Conference championship game, as well as the top seed in the Section VII/Class D playoffs. The Eagles scored a 7-3 win over the Beagles May 23 in the MVAC Division I v. II playoff game. “I thought that we were very good defensively,” head coach Brian Norcross said after the game. “Nathan Reynolds (winning pitcher with 5.1 innings, two earned runs) pitched well and when the game was tight, Ricky Osier (who earned a save with 1.1 innings and three strikeouts) came in and shut the door.” Kyle Bissonette scored the first two runs of the game for the Eagles, scoring on a wild pitch after reaching on an error in the first, and then scoring on a throwing error in the third, which also scored Kaleb Snide. The Eagles opened the game up in the sixth, when John Tregan scored on a Kyle McCarthy squeeze bunt, Michael Ryba scored on a Craig Botten single, and Botten scored on a Bissonette single. “Craig had a big RBI hit for us in the sixth inning,” Norcross said. Osier scored the final run of the game on a wild pitch in the seventh. As well as scoring runs, the Eagles defense
102 003 1 7 - 7 - 1 000 003 0 3 - 10 - 4
Chazy AB R H RBI Bissonette, K. 4 2 2 1 Reynolds, N. 4 0 0 0 Osier, R. 4 1 2 0 Snide, K. 1 1 0 0 Tregan, J. 4 1 1 0 Ryba, M. 4 1 1 0 McCarthy, K. 1 0 0 1 Santor, A. 2 0 0 1 Botten, C. 3 1 1 1 2B - Bissonette, Osier; SAC - McCarthy 2, Santor
Chazy second baseman Kyle Bissonette tags out Westport/Keene baserunner David Quaglietta during the MVAC Division I v. II playoff game May 23. The Eagles caught Quaglietta twice on steal attempts, two of the five baserunners they eliminated in the game. Photo by Keith Lobdell prevented runs from scoring, as they picked off five Beagle runners off the bases. “Kyle McCarthy made some great throws for us at catcher,” Norcross said. “Our pitchers all hold runners well and get the ball to the plate quick.” “Every time that we got something going, something would happen and they would make a play,” Westport/Keene co-head coach Don Markwica said. “We shot ourselves in the foot. We didn’t play sound baseball and Chazy is a team that will make you pay for that.” The lone Beagles rally came in the sixth in-
ning, when James Bell, Max Van Wie and Ethan Markwica all scored on scoring plays made by Markwica (single), Alex Frum (bases loaded walk) and Kevin Russell (bases loaded walk). Osier then came on in relief for the Eagles, striking out three of the final five batter while giving up a hit to Bell in the seventh. After the game, Norcross said that he felt his team was where they needed to be at the start of sectionals. “We have some depth at pitching that will help us out and I feel we are playing some good baseball,” he said.
Reynolds, N. Bissonette, K. Osier, R.
IP H 5.1 8 0.1 1 1.1 1
Westport/Keene Quaglietta, D. Russell, K. Earl, S. Boyle, D. Bell, J. Van Wie, M. Markwica, E. Sayward, C. Frum, A. 2B - Boyle
AB 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 2 2
Russell, K.
IP H R ER BB SO Dec. 7.0 7 7 1 1 11 L
R 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0
R 2 1 0
ER 2 1 0 H 1 2 1 0 3 2 1 0 1
BB 1 4 0
SO Dec. 4 W 0 3 Sv
RBI 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1
Baseball teams wrap up regular season, prepare for sectionals PHS 3, NAC 2 The Bobcats rallied with two runs in the top of the seventh inning, but were unable to make it all the way back as the CVAC Division I champions scored a win May 21. Robbie Knowles threw no-hit baseball through the first six innings, and was relieved by battery mate C.J. Worley, who recorded the save. Worley also had a pair of hits. For the Bobcats, Tyler Mesec struck out five in six innings for the loss, while Troy Labombard broke up the no-hit bid by Knowles with a one-out single in the seventh and Garrett Gero drove a pair in one the second hit of the game.
Peru 4, Ti 3 The Indians scored the game-winning run in the fourth inning to beat the Sentinels May 21. Dominick Delello struck out seven in earning the win for the Indians, while Mike Holdridge had a single and double and Nick Uliva had a double.
Beekmantown 10, Lake Placid 3
Frank Buksa drove in half of the runs for the Eagles as they defeated the Blue Bombers May 21. Eric LaBonte went the distance on the mound for the Eagles, striking out six while scattering four hits. Brandon Buksa, Luke Weaver and Tavon Ford-Relation each had two hits. Kylar Coventry led the Blue Bombers with two hits and R.J. Reid hit a double.
NCCS 3, Ti 2 Jamie Davison struck out 13 Sentinels and surrendered only two hits as the Cougars scored a one-run victory May 20. Matt Letourneau had three hits and a pair of runs batted in. Dylan Carter added two hits, while Davison and Rob Armstrong each doubled.
Beekmantown 12, Saranac 5 The Eagles scored nine runs in the middle innings to get past the Chiefs May 20. Luke Weaver finished a home run shy of the cycle on offense for the Eagles, while Austin Bradish and Brandon Buksa had
three hits, Eric LaBonte had a pair two doubles and Seth Pelkey collected two hits. Keon Jahanbakhsh earned the win on the mound. Ben Weightman had three hits, including a double, while pitching for the Chiefs.
PHS 8, Ti 2 The Hornets captured the CVAC Division I championship in beating the Sentinels May 19. Anthony Porcelli struck out 11 batters in the complete game victory, while C.J. Worley had two singles and a double, Brian Latulipe had a double and a single and Joe Tolosky had a pair of hits.
Peru 3, NAC 0 In a game dominated by pitching, the Indians used the experience of Will Flynn to score a win over the Bobcats May 19. Flynn struck out 17 batters in the seveninning game, while giving up only five baserunners in pitching a shutout. Mitchell Cunningham drove in a run with a single, while Mike Holdridge had a sacrifice fly for the Indians.
Nick Gero was also strong on the mound, allowing only three hits in the game.Tyler Mesechad two of the four Bobcat hits.
Saranac 7, AVCS 1 The Chiefs scored two runs in the second and fifth innings and three more in the seventh to close the door on the Patriots May 19. Andrew Petro and Austin Velie rapped out three hits each for the Chiefs, while Matt McCasland drove in a pair with a double and Kasey Favreau had eight strikeouts in the complete game victory on the mound. John Siklander and Dillon Savage each had two hits, while Kodie Simpson added a triple.
Beekmantown 17, Moriah 9 The Eagles scored runs in all six of their at-bats to beat the Vikings May 19. Luke Weaver picked up four hits in the game, while Austin Bradish and Eric LaBonte each connected for triples and Brandon Buksa added a pair of hits.