Baseball

Rendered speechless

Millbrook stuns Tri-Valley in Class C semifinal with four-run seventh in a come-from-behind dazzler

By RICHARD A. ROSS

MILLBROOK NY — Language can be eloquent and descriptive at times, but sometimes, words just fall short, rendering one speechless. Such was the case following an improbable seventh-inning win by Millbrook, as it stormed back from a three-run deficit to garner an emotional victory over visiting Tri-Valley.

Knocking out number-one-seeded Millbrook would have been sweet, especially for Tri-Valley seniors Andrew Yager, Tim Martin, Dustin VanLieu, Dom Baggatta, Matt Garigliano and Sean McNamara. This year, the Bears had suffered crushing defeats against Millbrook in football and basketball in games that Tri-Valley’s elder statesmen will long rue and remember.

But that was ancient history as the Bears took the field, set the tone and protected their early lead on June 1.

After an efficient first inning by Blazer starter Evan Kessman and Bears starter Tim Martin, Tri-Valley drew first blood in the second, as Peter DiMilia got aboard via an E-6, stole second and scored on a single by Baggatta. The Bears added two more in the third, as DiMilia roped a double that scored Dan Byrne and Yager. The Bears might have scored more, but at the time the 3-0 lead looked solid with Martin doing yeoman’s work on the mound.

Millbrook got one run in each of the next three innings to tie the game at three all. The Bears retook the lead in the top of the sixth, as VanLieu came in and singled. Garigliano executed a perfect sac bunt and Martin drew a two-out walk. Byrne and Yager’s back-to-back singles made it 5-3.

Millbrook got one back in the bottom of the sixth and Tri-Valley coach John Rusin decided that Martin had gone far enough, having thrown 86 pitches. Martin had given his team more than they could ask for and he and shortstop Dan Byrne switched places.

Byrne closed the door in the inning and the Bears still led 5-4.

The Bears scored two runs in the seventh. After knocking out Kessman, the Bears had bases loaded, one in and no one out, but reliever Matt Buechele allowed only one more run to quash what looked to be the Bears’ breakout inning.

Just three outs away from the title game, Tri-Valley took to the field with Byrne on the hill.

But Millbrook refused to quit.

Two hits made it 7-5. Rusin brought in Yager, the team’s number-one pitcher to close out the game. Yager yielded a walk to Kessman and Scalzo followed with an RBI single to make it 7-6. Kyle Cuomo’s single gave Millbrook runners at the corners and Whalen’s single up the middle scored both runners. The Blazers erupted as the stunned Bears looked on in disbelief.

Millbrook (9-8) will play Webutuck, for the title. Rusin credited Millbrook with stringing together timely hits and his own players for never giving up.

“I think we had our opportunities early,” he said referring to the third inning. “ I was proud that our guys set the tone and protected an early lead. We scratched out a few more runs and made the vast majority of defensive plays. Our kids left it all out there on the field and put themselves in a position to win.”

Rusin credited Martin’s outing and Byrne’s solid relief in the sixth inning.

“Sometimes, you do everything you can and it just doesn’t work out,” he said. “Today, it wasn’t from a lack of effort, heart or preparedness,” he said as he prepared for a long somber bus ride back to Grahamsville.

DiMilia went two for three with two RBI. Yager and Baggatta were two for four.

Tri-Valley finished its season at 9-11-1.

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