Mechanicville baseball completes quest for first sectional championship
AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Prior to this season, the Mechanicville baseball team's postseason experiences over the last six years could be summed up in one word: heartbreaking. After falling in the Section 2, Class B championship game in 2019, the Red Raiders were upset by lower seeds in the quarterfinal round in 2021 and 2022, and in the semifinal round in 2023 and 2024.
But the pressure that comes with being a top-tier seed seemed to dissipate during this most recent Class B tournament, as Mechanicville drew the seven-seed. With wins over the two and three-seeded squads in the quarters and semis, the Red Raiders had a chance to exercise their playoff demons once and for all when they squared off with fifth-seeded Cobleskill-Richmondville Sunday night at Shuttleworth Park in the championship game.
Backed by some early offense and a brilliant combined pitching effort from Chris Couser and AJ Messercola, Mechanicville finally reached the mountain top, defeating Cobleskill-Richmondville, 4-1, to claim the first sectional championship in program history.
"These kids have been working towards this for so long," said Mechanicville head coach Gary Pitcheralle. "We don't forget about what happened to us in the last couple years. It motivates us to keep on doing things that are important; to be successful in games like this."
Couser, a senior and Wagner College commit, got the Red Raiders rolling with a two-run home run in the top of the first inning. Not only did he spot his team an early lead, he was responsible for maintaining it.
Couser tossed four stellar innings on the mound, surrendering one unearned run and allowing just two hits, while striking out four.
"We lost back-to-back years my sophomore and junior year; feels great to get it done," said Couser. "It means everything. We've been working so hard...day in and day out. I'm just so glad I could do it with the boys I've been playing with since I was six years old."
Cobleskill-Richmondville manufactured its only run of the game off Couser in the fourth inning. After a one-out Brody Becker double, the Bulldogs were able to set up runners on the corners when Elijah Barr reached on an error.
That gave way to Aiden Carr, who didn't even see a pitch before Barr was caught trying to steal second. Barr ran himself into a pickle and was tagged out by Scotty Lynch, but that allowed Becker to score from third, which pulled Cobleskill-Richmondville within one run.
Couser got out of the inning without any further damage being done, and Pitcheralle made the decision to turn to Messercola on the bump. The sophomore hurler put up a zero in the fifth frame before the offense came to his aid.
Mechanicville pushed across two insurance runs in the sixth, as Mark Pingelski drove in John Fedorowicz with a double to right-center and Jonathan Harris plated Couser with an infield single.
That provided Messercola a nice cushion, and after surrendering a leadoff walk in the home half of the inning, he retired the next six Bulldogs he faced to lock down a three-inning save and secure Mechanicville the Class B crown.
"We really fought every game, every practice; we were out there just battling," said Messercola. "Feels great knowing we were underdogs."
Mechanicville has certainly had some talented teams over the last few seasons. But what set this year's squad apart was a special senior class with a championship DNA; players who were also members of the sectional championship-winning soccer and basketball teams from this school year.
"What a great group of kids," said Pitcheralle. "I've got nine seniors this year; they've been after this ever since they've been in Little League. Really, really good kids. They mean a ton to the community. It's been an absolute pleasure being with them, and I'm beyond happy for 'em."
Mechanicville (17-6) will forge ahead to the state tournament. The Red Raiders' first matchup will come in sub-regionals against Section 7's Saranac. That game is set to be played Thursday.