Five singles, a walk and an error resulted in five seventh-inning runs for Bradford, Pa., which defeated host Oneonta, 8-7, in a semifinal of the Green Wave Wood Bat Classic on Sunday at Damaschke Field.
Bradford and Pawtucket, R.I., which beat Schenectady County, 4-2, in the other semifinal, were declared co-champions after the title game of the eight-team Legion baseball tournament was called because of rain in the second inning with Bradford leading, 4-2, at Damaschke.
The Green Wave (21-10) went 3-0 in pool play, defeating the Schenectady County Indians, 3-1, in eight innings Friday, and downing Corning Gray, 3-2, and defending champion Brockville, Ont., 9-3, on Saturday.
In Sunday's semifinal, Oneonta starting pitcher Ryne Rivino walked the first batter of the seventh inning. Losing pitcher Mike Calkins relieved and Bradford's next three hitters singled. Kaleb Route capped the scoring in the inning with an RBI single that gave Brockville an 8-6 lead.
"They didn't really pound Mike, but they found some holes," Oneonta coach Mike Jester said. "They went the other way and got some hits. Nineteen out of 20 times, it wouldn't have happened. They were a good team, but with one guy on, he normally would have saved it. It's not like he had terrible stuff, but they got some momentum."
Oneonta's seventh started with James Emilio reaching on a two-base throwing error by Bradford's shortstop. After the next two batters were retired, David Wright hit an RBI single to center. But Ben Moxley lined out to third to end it.
Rivino's suicide squeeze bunt scored Oneonta's first run in the second inning. Later in the inning, Moxley and Sean Getman hit RBI doubles as Oneonta took a 4-0 lead.
The Green Wave scored two more in the fourth for a 6-0 lead.
Getman had two doubles and two RBIs, Moxley finished with two hits and two RBIs, and Wright contributed three hits and an RBI.
Against Corning Gray, Getman (4-2) threw a five-hitter with six strikeouts and no walks.
"Like Rivino (in the semifinal), he wasn't overpowering, but he threw strikes and got ahead in the count," Jester said of Getman.
With the score tied at 2, Oneonta scored the winning run in the sixth inning. Calkins led off with a single. Dan Hodne then laid down a sacrifice bunt toward third that pitcher Nikko Foti fielded and got the out at first. But Foti and Corning's third baseman went for the bunt. Calkins saw no one at third and continued on. Corning's left fielder rushed in to cover third, but the throw from first was off target, allowing Calkins to score.
Hodne's two-out single in the first inning scored two runs.
Getman finished with two hits.
Mark Giallanzo (4-2) threw a four-hitter against Brockville with two walks and one strikeout.
"Brockville was probably the most talented team in the tournament," Jester said. "They had some big boys. They only got one run in the first three innings, but they had a few loud outs. (Oneonta High is) a big park and (Giallanzo) kept it in the park. Then he settled down and got his curveball working."
Jester said Brockville starter Jay Flannigan threw in the high-80s, but Oneonta caught up to him during a four-run third inning.
Down, 1-0, Rivino walked with one out. After an out, Moxley hit an opposite-field drive to right for a triple that tied the score. After Getman was hit by a pitch and Calkins walked. Hodne pulled a three-run double to right-center.
Oneonta made it 6-1 in the fourth, when Moxley had an RBI single.
"We probably played one of our best games all season," Jester said.
Hodne finished with two hits and four RBIs. Moxley and Calkins contributed two hits apiece.
Oneonta (21-10) travels to Whitney Point at 6 p.m. today. Jester said games Tuesday against Schenectady County and Wednesday against Utica Adrean have been canceled. The District Six Tournament is scheduled to start Friday.
Bradford 8, Oneonta 7
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Semifinal at Damaschke Field
Bradford ..... 000 021 5 _ 8 10 3
Oneonta ..... 040 200 1 _ 7 9 3
Zack Risic, Taylor Skerpon (4,W) and Kaleb Route. Ryne Rivino, Mike Calkins (7,L,4-2) and Zach Pidgeon. 2B _ Ben Moxley (O), Sean Getman (O) 2, Nathan Roof (B).
Oneonta 3, Corning Gray 2
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Saturday at OHS
Corning Gray ..... 001 010 0 _ 2 5 1
Oneonta ..... 200 001 x _ 3 7 2
Nikko Foti (L) and Bryce Patterson. Sean Getman (W,4-2) and Zach Pidgeon. 2B _ Josh Grant (C).
Oneonta 9, Brockville 3
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Saturday at OHS
Oneonta ..... 004 203 0 _ 9 10 1
Brockville ..... 100 002 0 _ 3 4 0
Mark Giallanzo (W,4-2) and Zach Pidgeon. Jay Flannigan (L), Dave Hood (4), Brady Ring (7) and Mitch Dougherty. 2B _ John Coleman (B), Dan Hodne (O), Zach Pidgeon (O). 3B _ Ben Moxley (O).
Sidney finishes seventh
Billy Kozak and Corbin Palmer had three hits apiece to lead Sidney to a 7-5 victory Sunday over Corning in the seventh-place game of the Green Wave Wood Bat Classic at Oneonta High.
Trailing, 5-1, Sidney scored three runs in each of the fifth and sixth innings.
In the sixth, Jon Wingate's sacrifice fly tied the score at 5. Winning pitcher Dylan VanPelt and Palmer followed with RBI singles.
Wingate had an RBI single and Palmer an RBI groundout in the fifth inning.
VanPelt contributed two hits.
Sidney lost its three pool-play games, including 15-4 and 11-8 losses to Bradford and Montreal, respectively, on Saturday at Neahwa Park.
Billy Kozak and Wingate had two hits apiece against Bradford.
Wingate went 3-for-4 and Tyler Hymers was 2-for-4 against Montreal.
Sidney (17-7) travels to Johnson City on Tuesday but has canceled its game against Binghamton on Thursday. Sidney will begin play in the District Six Tournament on Friday or Saturday.
Sidney 7, Corning 5
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Seventh-place consolation at OHS
Corning ..... 102 020 0 _ 5 6 4
Sidney ..... 100 033 x _ 7 12 2
N. Grant, Eckles (6) and Patterson. Tyler Hymers, Dylan VanPelt (W,6,2-0) and Lucas DeJoy. 2B _ Billy Kozak (S), Corbin Palmer (S), J. Grant (C) 2.
Bradford 15, Sidney 4
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Saturday at Neahwa Park
Bradford ..... 410 37 _ 15 11 3
Sidney ..... 300 01 _ 4 7 2
Reese (W) and Hitchcock, Route (4). Lucas Butcher (L), Jon Wingate (4), Billy Kozak (5) and Lucas DeJoy. 2B _ Roof (B), Skerpon (B), Ripic (B).
Montreal 11, Sidney 8
GREEN WAVE WOOD BAT CLASSIC
Saturday at Neahwa Park
Montreal ..... 100 073 _ 11 11 3
Sidney ..... 200 222 _ 8 10 0
Gravel (W) and Bussiere. Mike Gravel (L), Matt Vogel (5) and Lucas DeJoy. 2B _ Sabin (M).
