Saratoga Springs baseball fends off late Shaker rally to secure spot in Class AAA finals
LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Not even the loss of one of Section II's top pitchers could keep the Saratoga Springs baseball team from reaching Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. For the third straight season, the Blue Streaks are headed there to compete for a sectional championship.
Saratoga completed a two-game sweep of third-seeded Shaker in the Class AAA semifinals with a 3-2 win in game two Saturday in Latham. The second-seeded Blue Streaks were backed by a shutdown effort from senior starting pitcher Louis Betit, who didn't allow a run in five innings of work, and struck out six.
"I had a lot of pressure on me because a lot of guys went down this season with injury," said Betit. "But I wanted this opportunity, I stepped up and I'm just excited. I was trying to outsmart them (Shaker); mixing it up. And I did. They were really off-balance on the curveball. And then I would just blow the fastball right by 'em."
Betit's outing comes right on the heels of a brilliant showing from Christian Mello in game one, where he nearly tossed a complete game in Saratoga's 9-1 victory. Both starters moved up in the rotation after ace Michael Mack hurt his arm on April 26 against Shenendehowa.
The rotation as a whole has stepped up in Mack's absence.
"We talked all year about…you got to play your best baseball at the end of the season," said Saratoga head coach Andy Cuthbertson. "You know, we worked through some adversity - losing Michael in the middle of season - and these guys just picked up the slack. [The] Blue Streaks family…grinded it out and played super hard today."
It was a grind for Saratoga just to get on the scoreboard, as Shaker starter Ethan McGarry made life very difficult for the Blue Streak bats.
They finally broke through in the top of the third inning with a two-out, two-strike, RBI single from senior first baseman Patrick McKinley.
Betit allowed just three Blue Bison to reach base through his first four innings of work, but faced his toughest jam in the home half of the fifth frame. After a one-out single by Brayden Akley and ensuing walk to Frank Conroy, Shaker's leadoff hitter, Red Maron, made his way to the plate. The southpaw Betit buckled down, though, dialing up back-to-back punchouts to get out of the inning unscathed.
Cuthbertson turned to the bullpen to start the bottom of the sixth inning, handing the ball off to Charlie Greiner. But after issuing a free pass and hitting the next batter he faced, Greiner was quickly relieved by Richard Rossi, who tightroped his way out of trouble, retiring three straight Blue Bison to end the threat, preserving Saratoga's 1-0 lead.
The Blue Streaks offense provided some breathing room in the top half of the seventh, working four walks - the fourth of which forced in a run. Mack, who was serving in the designated hitter role, was then hit by a pitch, allowing Jack Rigabar to trot home, extending the margin to three.
But Shaker did not go quietly. A one-out single from Frank Conroy was followed by a Maron double. PJ Strand then grounded into a fielder's choice, which pushed across a run. The next batter, Tommy Case, scorched a single to left field, plating Maron, and bringing the Blue Bison within one run at 3-2.
That sent Brendan McLoughlin to the dish as the potential go-ahead run. He worked the count in his favor, 2-0, and let it rip on the next pitch he saw, hitting a hot shot on the ground towards third. But Rigabar reacted quickly, knocking the ball down, and firing a strike to McKinley at first for the final out.
Betit earned the win, and Rossi was credited with a six-out save.
Saratoga has been fueled this year by a strong desire to return to the sectional finals after falling in last year's championship series to Shen. And now that desire has been fulfilled...at least somewhat.
"Knowing we lost to our rivals last year, everyone from the start of the season, you know, we wanted it really bad," said McKinley, who reached base three times with two hits and a walk. "Ended up losing to Shen in the first game [this season], but...we're hoping we get them again, and we hope to get a rematch of last year."
The Blue Streaks will learn their opponent Monday at the conclusion of the Shen's series with Christian Brothers Academy, which has gone to a third game after CBA's 5-4 win Saturday. Game one of the championship series at "The Joe" is already set for Thursday at 7:00 p.m.
Shaker concludes its season with a 12-9 overall record.