Softball

Rampage

Tri-Valley erupts in late innings to down Fallsburg in Spear tourney opener

By RICHARD A. ROSS

GRAHAMSVILLE, NY — After much anticipation, the John Spear Memorial Baseball Tournament got underway on April 13 as Tri-Valley defeated Fallsburg 11-3 in a pool B opener. The tournament, organized by Monticello baseball coach Mike Marra, features six teams that will be playing a series of games this week heading toward the championships on April 18.

The John Spear Memorial Tournament honors the 1959 DUSO league champion Monticello Panthers. A ceremony in their honor will coincide with the unveiling of a new scoreboard and field dedication on April 18 at Monticello. The tourney features Fallsburg, Tri-Valley and Sulllivan West in Pool B and Monticello, Ellenville and Liberty in Pool A.

In the Bears-Comets fray, Tri-Valley coach John Rusin sent Dom Baggatta to the hill. First-year Fallsburg coach Mike Weiner countered by handing the ball to senior Colin Whittaker. Baggatta retired the Comets in the first, and the Bears took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the frame. Dan Byrne walked and stole second and third. He came home as Tim Martin reached on an E-5. Martin stole second and scored on a single by Jesse Brown.

The Comets went ahead 3-2 in the third inning with a three-run homer by Greg Simpson. He drove in Sam

Ingber and Mike Melko, who had singled and doubled to start the inning.

In the bottom of the fourth, Tri-Valley tied it up as Brown led off with a double and moved up on a wild pitch. Brown stole home as Matt Bogorad walked.

Dan Byrne came on to pitch in relief of Baggatta. The fiery righty would go on to garner the win after pitching three scoreless innings.

Byrne struck out five and didn’t walk a batter. Tri-Valley (2-4), which just returned from a trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, used a three-run fifth inning to take a 6-3 lead. Peter DiMilia walked and stole second. Baggata’s sac bunt moved him to third. A squeeze bunt by Byrne scored DiMilia. The Bears added two more in the frame, then scored five runs in the sixth. Andrew Yager hit a grand slam and Jesse Brown (4 for 4, two RBI) followed with a solo home run in the sixth for Tri-Valley. The Bears prepared to travel to Sullivan West on April 15. The Bulldogs played Fallsburg on April 14.

Visit riverreportersports.com for an album of photos from the Tri-Valley–Fallsburg game.

In a Pool B opener, Monticello fell to visting Ellenville by the score of 9-1. Adam Fallon threw a four-hitter and struck out five to lead Ellenville to victory. Carlos Gonzalez had a three-run double and Jesse Warner added a two-run double for Ellenville (1-0). Tim Campbell and Edgar Vargas each added two hits. Serifan Rodriguez had an RBI for Monticello (0-3).