Baseball

Run support

Bulldogs’ bats back up O’Brien’s solid outing

By RICHARD A. ROSS

JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — You could sense the urgency in his face, though he never uttered a word of discouragement or dismay. Still, Sullivan West’s Will O’Brien needed his team to pick him up.

After pitching three scoreless innings during which he allowed only one hit, O’Brien ran into a snag in the fourth against Goshen on April 26 when Nick Turi reached on an E-6 and B.J. Hearn followed with a hard single. With one out, O’Brien left a fastball out over the plate and Kevin Suehnholz got the fat part of the bat on it and drove it over Jim Maloney’s head into deep center field. Two runs came in and the next batter, Evan Smith, hit a single scoring a third run.

The Gladiators were threatening to make it a big inning.

The Bulldogs’ O’Brien is a much more seasoned veteran than he was a year ago. Last year he would have unraveled in a spot like this, but he now exudes confidence.

The determined righty simply bore down, inducing a fly-out from Jimmy McCormick and getting Zach Burress to strike out after looking on a blazer at the knees.

“Need some runs,” O’Brien said under his breath to no one in particular as he came off the mound.

His wish was granted.

In the bottom of the inning, Lloyd Shaffer led off with a base hit off of Hearn. Steve Daley drew a walk and Chris Franke reached on a fielder’s choice, driving in one run. While Maloney was at the plate, a passed ball brought “Wheels” Shaffer home, and Franke scored on another passed ball.

With the game now tied at three all, O’Brien went back to work.

Notching two strikeouts, he got the Gladiators to go down in order in the fifth inning, but he still needed help from his hitters. And once again the Bulldogs picked him up. It comes as no surprise that Sullivan West’s second surge began when Joe Meyer stepped into the batter’s box.

No Bulldog batter is hotter right now than Meyer. After his near-double down the right field line curved foul, the sizzling Meyer blasted a double all the way to the fence in center to lead off the sixth inning. Shaffer’s single then gave the Bulldogs the lead. Daley followed with a single and the bases were loaded when Franke reached on an error.

Joltin’ Jim Maloney launched a bases-clearing double, and when the dust cleared the Bulldog batters had handed O’Brien a four-run lead. “OB” showed his appreciation by pitching scoreless sixth and seventh innings.

Sullivan West added a pair of runs in the sixth when Daley drove in Matt Berger and Shaffer with a booming triple.

O’Brien (2-1) struck out six and issued two walks for Sullivan West (5-5). Class A Goshen’s record fell to 5-5 after the crossover loss.

Baseball in brief

Eldred notches a split in win over Liberty and loss to Tuxedo

LIBERTY, NY — “This was the best baseball game I ever played in,” smiled Eldred’s George Fountain, reminiscing about his team’s 8-4 victory over the Indians of Liberty on April 26. Fountain belted a pair of doubles and drove in three runs. Patrick Kean scored twice as Eldred improved its record to 3-4 overall in the non-league game on April 26. Jason Garritt had a pair of hits for Liberty, including a solo home run. Pete Panagakos had three hits for Liberty (1-10).

TUXEDO, NY — The Yellowjackets found themselves on the wrong end of a 10-1 loss on April 29 at the hands of the Tuxdedo Tornadoes. Combining great pitching and hard hitting, Tuxedo’s John Hirrell hit a grand slam and drove in five runs while he pitched a seven-hitter against Eldred (3-5). Tuxedo improved to 9-2 behind strong hitting from Pat and Mick Buckley, who notched two hits apiece. Nick McCormick and Walter Kreidell each had two hits for Eldred.

Hornbeck’s hit helps Tri-Valley edge Ellenville 3-2 at historic Doubleday Field

COOPERSTOWN, NY — Tri-Valley’s success this season is predicated on good starting, pitching, solid defense and timely hitting.

Matt Waldman and Joe Garigliano continued that winning formula with their combined mound effort as they scattered two hits apiece in six innings at historic Doubleday Field on April 26. Waldman pitched four innings and Garigliano pitched two. Neither gave up an earned run in the Bears’ 3-2 win over Ellenville.

In addition to playing on the gorgeous diamond and getting a win, the Bears got to spend time in historic Cooperstown, soaking up history of America’s pastime.

Garigliano went two-for-three with a run scored. Dan Knox had a hit and two RBI for the Bears (7-2) in the win. Kevin Hornbeck had a game-winning two-out single in the top of the sixth inning that scored Garigliano. Ellenville’s record slipped to 2-8.

MONTICELLO, NY — The joys of winning in Cooperstown will long remain a memory, but the Bears would like to have finished their week by continuing their winning ways. Unfortunately they ran into a hot pitcher in Monticello’s Joe Bonnaci, who struck out three. Matt Smith had an RBI for the Bears (7-3).

“We hit the ball well but mostly right at people,” noted Tri-Valley coach John Rusin.

According to Rusin, “This week is the real litmus test for us.” Tri-Valley has a three-game series ahead against their Division V rival, Chester. On May 6 they will play a rematch with Eldred, and next week the Bears will go up against Division rival Tuxedo.