CBA baseball erupts in first frame to chase Colonie from Class AAA sectionals

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Christian Brothers Academy baseball team struck early and often in its opening round sectional matchup with Colonie Wednesday. The Brothers, garnering the No. 5 seed in the Class AAA tournament, unloaded for seven runs in the first inning, en route to a 13-1 road win over the fourth-seeded Raiders to advance to the sectional semifinals.

CBA shortstop James Dixon was the catalyst behind the early onslaught. After walking to lead off the game - one of five free passes issued to the Brothers in the inning - Dixon came around to score the first run of the contest three batters later on a wild pitch.

He'd step to the dish again in the top of the first - this time with the bases loaded, and his team maintaining a four-run edge - and smash a bases-clearing double into the right-center field gap, giving CBA starting pitcher Luke Tisenchek a seven-run cushion before he even threw a pitch.

The biggest blow of the day came off the bat of CBA catcher Brian Carrothers - a three-run home run in the top of the fifth inning that grew the margin to 13-1, putting the Mercy Rule in play. Tisenchek retired the side in the home half of the frame, and the game was called after five innings.

Tisenchek earned the complete-game victory, allowing one run on just four hits; he also recorded four strikeouts. Dixon finished 3-3 with four runs batted in and two runs scored. Jackson Cox, Lorenzo Lanni, Teddy Gialanella and Christopher McLaughlin each tallied one RBI.

CBA advances to take on top-seeded Shenendehowa in a best-of-three-games semifinal series. Game one is set for 4:00 p.m. Friday at Shen.

Colonie concludes its season with a 9-11 overall record.