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Tigers sweep at home
ONEONTA _ Michael Rockett's slumps don't seem to last too long.
Rockett went hitless in his first three at-bats Monday but came through with a two-out, two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh inning as the O-Tigers rallied for a 5-4 New York-Penn League victory over the Aberdeen IronBirds.
The O-Tigers (10-5) completed the sweep of Aberdeen in front of an announced crowd of 691 on Sam Nader bobblehead night at Damaschke Field.
"Not a lot surprises me with him," O-Tigers manager Howard Bushong said of Rockett. "He'll look bad at times, but he's such a competitor and he'll find a way to beat you."
The O-Tigers have won five of six against the IronBirds this season. Oneonta increased its Stedler Division lead to three games over Lowell (8-9) and Vermont (8-9) and five games over Tri-City (5-10). All three division rivals lost Monday.
Oneonta opens a three-game set with Vermont at 7:05 p.m. today at Damaschke Field.
The Tigers, who rallied twice Monday, faced a 4-3 deficit heading into the seventh.
Jim Gulliver drew a leadoff walk but was forced out at second when Matt Mansilla's sacrifice-bunt attempt went back to pitcher Stephen Procner, who threw to shortstop Garabez Rosa for the out at second.
Carmelo Jaime then grounded to Rosa, who threw to second baseman Michael Mooney to force Mansilla out at second. Jaime reached on the play and moved to second when Jamie Johnson walked.
That brought Rockett to the plate. Rockett, who is batting .392 this season, failed to get the ball out of the infield and was hitless to that point.
"Coming to the plate, I was struggling," Rockett said. "I knew I had to settle down and barrel up."
Rockett, a right-handed batter, said he got a fastball away about belt-high. He went with the pitch, driving it down the right-field line. The ball bounced into the corner as Jaime and Johnson scored easily on Rockett's triple.
"I tried to stay back and I got a pitch to drive," Rockett said. "I squared up well. As soon as I made contact, it was a matter of running. ... With a guy on first, I knew we would try to score him, so I was going for three."
Winning pitcher Mike LaLuna (1-1), who struck out two in the eighth, allowed a leadoff triple to Levi Carolus (4-for-4) to start the ninth. With Oneonta's infield playing in, LaLuna got Brian Ward to ground to second baseman Jaime, who looked Carolus back to third before throwing to first for an out.
Bushong then went to the bullpen for Kenny Faulk, who got Arthur Bonevacia to fly out to shallow right field for the second out. Rockett threw a one-hopper to the plate after making the catch, but Carolus stayed within 10 feet of third.
Faulk then struck out Mooney looking to end the game and earn his third save.
"That was our first come-from-behind win," Bushong said. "Our kids have to learn not to quit and they did two times tonight and we did it with a two-out hit again."
Aberdeen (5-12) opened a 3-0 lead in the second off starter Jeff Gerbe. Carolus and Ty Kelly each had RBI singles and Ward an RBI triple.
The O-Tigers made it 3-1 in the bottom of the inning when Rawley Bishop led off with a home run to left field off Brandon Erbe. It's Bishop's third homer this season and third in three games. He hit two homers in a 7-2 victory over Aberdeen on Saturday.
"My college coach always said home runs come in bunches," Bishop said. "I've been pretty good wood on the ball. ... I got a fastball and (Erbe) caught too much of the plate and I tried to yank it. I never know when I hit it, but it felt pretty good. Playing here, you never know."
Wade Gaynor had an RBI single in the third to make it 3-2 and the Tigers pulled a double-steal for the tying run. With Johnson on third and two outs, Gaynor went to steal second. As soon as Aberdeen catcher Ward threw to second, Johnson broke home and scored standing up without a throw.
Aberdeen took the lead back in the sixth on an RBI single from Carolus.
Bushong also credited relief pitcher Kevan Hess, who threw 3 2/3 innings in relief of Gerbe. He allowed one run on four hits. LaLuna followed with three innings of scoreless ball, allowing three hits and striking out three and walking one.
___
P.J. Harmer can be reached at pharmer@thedailystar.com or 607-432-1000, ext. 229.
O-Tigers 5, Ironbirds 4
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Kelly 3b4011Rockett rf4012
D Oleo cf4000Gaynor 3b4011
Twnsend 1b3110Bishop 1b4111
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Rosa ss4000Hrnandez c4000
Carolus dh4142Palacios ss1011
Ward c4111Gulliver ss1000
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Bnevacia ph1000Jaime 2b3210
Totals32494Totals31574
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Oneonta012000200""5
{"Sports agate bat stax"/}E""Townsend (2), Procner (1). DP""Oneonta 2. LOB""Aberdeen 6, Oneonta 5. 2B""Mooney (2), Espinoza (4). 3B""Ward (1), Carolus (1), Rockett (1). HR""Bishop (3). SB""Carolus (5) 2, Baxter (3), Gaynor (4), Johnson (2). CS""Baxter (1), Palacios (1).
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HBP""Townsend (by Gerbe). Umpires""Home, John Collins; Field, Jose Rivera. T""2:47. A""691.
- Local Sports
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Hot or not, football starts tonight
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... Don't let Mother Nature fool you. Despite recent 90-degree weather in the area, high school football season is set to begin with four games involving area teams at 7 tonight.
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Sidney tennis opens with win
HIGH SCHOOL ROUNDUP ... Jileen Livingston's 6-4, 6-4 victory over Lindsay Avolio at first singles helped host Sidney to a 4-1 Midstate Athletic Conference girls tennis victory over Unadilla Valley in its season opener Thursday.
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Franklin girls top Edmeston
HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER ROUNDUP ... Jordan Beers scored twice and Haley Downin stopped 15 shots as visiting Franklin earned a 3-0 Tri-Valley League girls soccer victory over Edmeston on Thursday. Beers started the scoring a little less than four minutes into the second half and made it 2-0 about 11 minutes later. Jessica Terrano set up Beers' second goal with a cross.
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You shouldn't get too close to snapping turtles
OUTDOORS COLUMN BY RICK BROCKWAY ... As I drove along the county road outside of Hartwick the other day, I saw a large, dark object ahead of me.
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Area College Roundup
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Wednesday's High School Roundup
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Today's Datebook
- Thursday, September 2, 2010
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Jackets thump Seton girls, 8-0
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER _ ONEONTA _ Seton Catholic Central goalie Bridget Miranda curled up on the sideline, facedown in the grass and gasping for air while waiting for an ambulance to arrive.
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Hartwick men flop in opener
AREA COLLEGES ... Host Iona College scored three times in a span of 16 minutes, 28 seconds in the opening half en route to a 5-1 non-conference men's soccer victory over Hartwick College on Wednesday.
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Oneonta boys cruise; CV-S edges Milford
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS SOCCER ... Defending Section Four Class B boys soccer champion Oneonta High received two goals from junior Dan Joseph and defeated visiting Seton Catholic Central, 3-0, Wednesday in its season opener.
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Laurens knocks off champs
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS SOCCER ... Natalie Trujillo had a goal and an assist as host Laurens defeated defending Tri-Valley League and Section Four Class D champion Schenevus, 2-0, Wednesday in girls soccer.
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Today's Datebook
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OHS looking to take the next step
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... ONEONTA HIGH PREVIEW ... Fifth-year coach Adam Hoover guided Oneonta High to its first Section Four Class B playoff appearance since 2002 last season and said the 2010 version of the Yellowjackets could be even better. "It's a matter of how quickly they come together," Hoover said. "If we play to our potential, we have the best overall team since I've been here. I don't think we'll have the one or two dominant guys like we've had, but we have a lot of athletes all over the field."
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Cooperstown should be tough to stop
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... COOPERSTOWN PREVIEW ... It would appear Cooperstown's football team has two solid options this season. The first is obvious _ returning Daily Star Player of the Year Alec Silvera, who rushed for more than 1,200 yards last season and scored 18 touchdowns. The speedy senior won a Division II 110-meter hurdles state championship in June at Vestal High.
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Veteran quarterback could be key to Sidney's chances in Division V
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... SIDNEY PREVIEW ... Success for Sidney's football program in 2010 will start with senior quarterback Dylan Umbra. "I don't know if you can put a value on him because it's so high," Sidney coach Jeff Matthews said of Umbra, heading into his fourth season as the Warriors' starter behind center. "He's been through it so many times. He's able to make decisions on the fly. ... Things are second nature. He knows what he has to do and now he can help out with some other players."
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New-look Spartans face difficult schedule
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... UNATEGO PREVIEW ... There's a new coach, a new quarterback and that same old demanding schedule. Unatego's football program, three years removed from a Section Four Class C title, will look to improve on its 2-7 record from a year ago. It may take some time, though. After all, first-year head coach Frank Microni wasn't announced as the successor to Art Rigas until the first day of practice for fall sports. Rigas left Unatego after three seasons to become an assistant coach at Hartwick College.
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Delhi looking to stay atop Division VII
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Walton's return adds depth to Class D
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... WALTON PREVIEW ... Welcome back, Walton. Pardon the other teams in Division VII of the Section Four Football Conference if don't throw a party in celebration of the Warriors dropping back down to Class D. Walton's return should make for an interesting division. This group of Walton, Delhi, Bainbridge-Guilford, Oxford, Harpursville and Seton Catholic Central sent three teams to the playoffs last season, including two sectional finalists.
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B-G trying to reach playoffs for third straight season
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... BAINBRIDGE-GUILFORD PREVIEW ... Last season, Bainbridge-Guilford proved it could lose a star player and still return to the playoffs. Heading into this season the Bobcats will have to replace another standout, but to make it three straight postseason trips B-G likely will have to do something even more daunting _ get at least one victory over perennial powers Walton and Delhi.
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Is Unadilla Valley/Edmeston equipped to end 18-game skid?
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL ... UNADILLA VALLEY/EDMESTON PREVIEW ... When first-year head coach Stan Foulds checked Unadilla Valley/Edmeston's football equipment Aug. 15, he ran into a problem. He probably didn't mind that the Storm didn't have enough uniforms for the 2010 season, though. UV/E will have to use some junior varsity jerseys until another varsity shipment arrives as its roster has ballooned to 35 players _ up 15 from one season ago.
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Hot or not, football starts tonight
