Saratoga Springs – The Saratoga Stampede did what they had to – win two games to advance to the championship game of the 12th Annual Cooper’s Cave tournament at East Side Rec on Saturday.
The Stampede (29-7) first took on St. Johnsville Post, where they won a tight match, 3-2.
The Stampede (29-7) first took on St. Johnsville Post, where they won a tight match, 3-2.
Saratoga wasted no time getting on the scoreboard, as designated hitter Kyle Baldani drove in Andy Brown to make it a 1-0 game after one inning.
The Stampede would score the remainder of their runs in the second. With runners on first and second with two outs, Zac Kozersky ripped a base hit to score Justin Wilock to extend the lead to 2-0. Kenny Recore followed with a single to right, plating Brad Elliott for a 3-0 edge.
Ryan Washburn took the ball from Manager Paul Mound, and he turned in a terrific performance. Washburn, who now hurls for the Hudson Valley Community College pitching staff, has pitched sparsely for the Stampede. It didn’t show, as Washburn held St. Johnsville, a formidable team, scoreless over the first four innings, while scattering just three hits. The three hits in the fifth inning would amount to two runs, but after Josh Nethaway’s RBI double made it a 3-2 game, Washburn struck out Nick Manganelli to retire the side.
In the next inning-plus that he pitched, Washburn would yield just a harmless base hit before giving way to Travis Wilson, who struck out Derrick Nugent and Brandon Elmendorf to end the game.
In the semifinal game that leads to the championship match, which will be played today at noon at East Side Rec, Saratoga was matched against Hoxsie Cleansers from Rhode Island, who crushed the Malone Post earlier in the day to make it to the semis.
Zach Hartman, who has been an ace for the Stampede all season (7-1, 1.72 ERA), took the mound for the Stampede. Hoxsie was not intimidated by Hartman’s success, as they tagged him for a run in the top of the first inning.
Hartman would have the last laugh, however, as he settled down and held Hoxsie to just three runs over six innings.
Saratoga doesn’t play from behind very often, and this game was no different. Third baseman Chris Hackett led off with the first of two long doubles that he would hit on the night, and he would score later in the inning on a wild pitch by Hoxsie starter Angelo St. Laurent.
Ryan Washburn, who drew a walk, scored later to make it 2-1, as the Stampede sent eight batters to the plate.
In the fourth, Saratoga picked up another run. With one out, Kozersky reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third on an error, and then scored when Recore laced a single to center
The Stampede put the game way in the fifth, as Kyle Baldani, Hackett, and Washburn all drew walks to open the inning. Wilock then polished off Hoxsie with a base-clearing double, giving Saratoga an insurmountable 6-1 lead.
Hoxsie, however, refused to go down without a fight. They ripped three straight singles off of Washburn to start the sixth, but Washburn showed his mettle, as he gave up just one run while retiring the next three batters to end the inning.
The Stampede added two more runs in the bottom of the frame, as Hackett’s double to deep left-center field scored Neil Callahan, and then he would come around to make it 8-3 on an error on shortstop Dan Gamache to complete the scoring.
Neil Callahan, who sparkled defensively by making two tremendous diving plays to steal a hit from the opposition in each game today, recorded the final three outs to preserve the win.
The Stampede players are excited to be playing Newburgh, who they lost to by a 3-2 score in an earlier tournament this season. Zach Hartman is just one of the players who remembers the heart-wrenching loss.
“We saw them with the wood bats earlier, and we can’t wait to get back at them with the metal ones,” said Hartman.
Manager Paul Mound, who has seen his club in the championship game of two tournaments already this season, is thrilled to be in the same position once again.
“The team’s on a roll, just like last year…we’re doing it with all kinds of players…up and down this lineup, every day it’s somebody else… so, what more can you ask for?.. Washburn was huge today, Hartman was unbelievable on short rest, Hackett’s bat is back, Justin Wilock is hitting the cover off of the ball, Kozersky is a major weapon because of his foot speed and what he brings to the game… so, for us, I’m incredibly pleased.
“Newburgh is a very good squad… they’re well managed, they’re fundamentally sound… they came from behind to beat Saugerties 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning… Newburgh’s undefeated (5-0 in the tournament, one game cancelled due to rain), we’re undefeated (6-0), so I guess it’s fitting… We’re going to give them our game, we know what they are all about, our guys are pretty stoked to go and play them again, and we feel like we owe them one."
Saratoga and Newburgh will face off today at noon at East Side Rec.
The Stampede would score the remainder of their runs in the second. With runners on first and second with two outs, Zac Kozersky ripped a base hit to score Justin Wilock to extend the lead to 2-0. Kenny Recore followed with a single to right, plating Brad Elliott for a 3-0 edge.
Ryan Washburn took the ball from Manager Paul Mound, and he turned in a terrific performance. Washburn, who now hurls for the Hudson Valley Community College pitching staff, has pitched sparsely for the Stampede. It didn’t show, as Washburn held St. Johnsville, a formidable team, scoreless over the first four innings, while scattering just three hits. The three hits in the fifth inning would amount to two runs, but after Josh Nethaway’s RBI double made it a 3-2 game, Washburn struck out Nick Manganelli to retire the side.
In the next inning-plus that he pitched, Washburn would yield just a harmless base hit before giving way to Travis Wilson, who struck out Derrick Nugent and Brandon Elmendorf to end the game.
In the semifinal game that leads to the championship match, which will be played today at noon at East Side Rec, Saratoga was matched against Hoxsie Cleansers from Rhode Island, who crushed the Malone Post earlier in the day to make it to the semis.
Zach Hartman, who has been an ace for the Stampede all season (7-1, 1.72 ERA), took the mound for the Stampede. Hoxsie was not intimidated by Hartman’s success, as they tagged him for a run in the top of the first inning.
Hartman would have the last laugh, however, as he settled down and held Hoxsie to just three runs over six innings.
Saratoga doesn’t play from behind very often, and this game was no different. Third baseman Chris Hackett led off with the first of two long doubles that he would hit on the night, and he would score later in the inning on a wild pitch by Hoxsie starter Angelo St. Laurent.
Ryan Washburn, who drew a walk, scored later to make it 2-1, as the Stampede sent eight batters to the plate.
In the fourth, Saratoga picked up another run. With one out, Kozersky reached on an infield single, stole second, went to third on an error, and then scored when Recore laced a single to center
The Stampede put the game way in the fifth, as Kyle Baldani, Hackett, and Washburn all drew walks to open the inning. Wilock then polished off Hoxsie with a base-clearing double, giving Saratoga an insurmountable 6-1 lead.
Hoxsie, however, refused to go down without a fight. They ripped three straight singles off of Washburn to start the sixth, but Washburn showed his mettle, as he gave up just one run while retiring the next three batters to end the inning.
The Stampede added two more runs in the bottom of the frame, as Hackett’s double to deep left-center field scored Neil Callahan, and then he would come around to make it 8-3 on an error on shortstop Dan Gamache to complete the scoring.
Neil Callahan, who sparkled defensively by making two tremendous diving plays to steal a hit from the opposition in each game today, recorded the final three outs to preserve the win.
The Stampede players are excited to be playing Newburgh, who they lost to by a 3-2 score in an earlier tournament this season. Zach Hartman is just one of the players who remembers the heart-wrenching loss.
“We saw them with the wood bats earlier, and we can’t wait to get back at them with the metal ones,” said Hartman.
Manager Paul Mound, who has seen his club in the championship game of two tournaments already this season, is thrilled to be in the same position once again.
“The team’s on a roll, just like last year…we’re doing it with all kinds of players…up and down this lineup, every day it’s somebody else… so, what more can you ask for?.. Washburn was huge today, Hartman was unbelievable on short rest, Hackett’s bat is back, Justin Wilock is hitting the cover off of the ball, Kozersky is a major weapon because of his foot speed and what he brings to the game… so, for us, I’m incredibly pleased.
“Newburgh is a very good squad… they’re well managed, they’re fundamentally sound… they came from behind to beat Saugerties 7-6 in the bottom of the seventh inning… Newburgh’s undefeated (5-0 in the tournament, one game cancelled due to rain), we’re undefeated (6-0), so I guess it’s fitting… We’re going to give them our game, we know what they are all about, our guys are pretty stoked to go and play them again, and we feel like we owe them one."
Saratoga and Newburgh will face off today at noon at East Side Rec.
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