Greene, Norwich set for season rubber match in PONY league championship
Evening Sun File Photo
GREENE – A walk-off error win for Greene in Monday night’s semifinals contest against Unatego will now see Norwich and the Trojans match up for the third time this season but in the biggest setting – the championship game on Double Day Field in Cooperstown Tuesday night.
Norwich reached the title contest for the third straight season with a 12-4 win over Franklin on Saturday afternoon at Sidney, jumping out to an early 5-2 lead after the first inning and continued their scoring rout with at least one run tallied in four out of the last five frames played.
Keegan Franklin, Nolan Dodzweit and Evan Sylstra each came away with three hits in the game to lead the high-powered Norwich team in the victory. Trey Bates and Logan Ford also had a strong showing at the plate, both having two hits in the contest. Ford led the RBI column for the home team on the scoreboard, racking up three throughout the game.
Mike Hagen and Bates split time on the hill with Hagen taking the win with four innings pitched. Bates came on for the final three innings and the two combined to allow just five hits while striking out four Franklin batters.
“It was again a great team win,” said Greg Bates, Norwich’s head coach. “Everyone contributed in some way and we hit the ball well. Mike and Trey pitched very well.
“We need the same type of play when we play Tuesday,” continued Bates. “We are looking to go for the three-peat.”
The Trojans topped Unatego 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning when an error by Unatego’s second baseman on Liam Flanagan’s hard ground ball up the middle. The result of the play sent Hunter Poland into score the game winner.
Unatego went up 1-0 after the top half of the first inning but Greene answered in the bottom half, scoring two to take the early lead.
The visiting Spartans scored a run in the top of the third, tying the game at 2-2. From there, each time Unatego scored in the top half of the frame, Greene responded to tie the game up with their at-bats.
Unatego drew two walks to open up the seventh inning but Kolby Finch was able to get out of the jam on the mound, striking out the next two and forcing the fifth Spartans’ batter to ground out to teammate and third baseman Poland.
In the bottom of the seventh, Trent Rapp was able to reach base with a ground ball single to the left side of the infield but he was left stranded as Unatego’s defense was able to get the next two outs.
After Finch opened up the inning with a wild pitch that hit Unatego’s batter, he came back firing to once again record to strikeouts in the inning to send Greene up to the bat for what turned into the game-winning trip to the plate for the Trojans.
Poland drew a walk and Anthony Sergi got on base with a single, moving his teammate into scoring position. Grayson Flanagan then moved both Poland and Sergi up on the base paths with his fielder’s choice ground ball, leading to Liam Flanagan’s hit to win the game.
Rapp led Greene at the plate, totaling three hits in four trips to the plate. Sergi and Jacob Finerty added two hits each as the Trojans finished with a total of eight in the win.
Finch picked up the win after coming in two pitch two innings of relief. Liam Flanagan started on the mound for Greene and he surrendered the only four hits by Unatego during the game. He lasted five and one-thirds innings before Hogan Ludolph came on for the other two-thirds of an inning prior to Finch taking the hill.
Greene and Norwich have played against each other twice this season, both coming away with a win in the season series. Tuesday’s winner will settle the series between the two teams and crown the 2019 PONY league champions. Game is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start on the historic field in the town of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Norwich 12, Franklin 4
Franklin 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 – 4 5 2
Norwich 5 2 2 0 1 2 x – 12 15 0
Mike Hagen (W), Trey Bates (5) and Logan Ford. B. Davis (L), B. Gregory (4).
2B: (N) Logan Ford, Trey Bates, Evan Sylstra.
3B: (N) Evan Sylstra.
Greene 5, Unatego 4 (8 Innings)
Unatego 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 – 4 4 6
Greene 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 – 5 8 1
Liam Flanagan, Hogan Ludolph (5), Kolby Finch (6, W). Backus, Johnson (L)
3B: (U) Utter.
Norwich reached the title contest for the third straight season with a 12-4 win over Franklin on Saturday afternoon at Sidney, jumping out to an early 5-2 lead after the first inning and continued their scoring rout with at least one run tallied in four out of the last five frames played.
Keegan Franklin, Nolan Dodzweit and Evan Sylstra each came away with three hits in the game to lead the high-powered Norwich team in the victory. Trey Bates and Logan Ford also had a strong showing at the plate, both having two hits in the contest. Ford led the RBI column for the home team on the scoreboard, racking up three throughout the game.
Mike Hagen and Bates split time on the hill with Hagen taking the win with four innings pitched. Bates came on for the final three innings and the two combined to allow just five hits while striking out four Franklin batters.
“It was again a great team win,” said Greg Bates, Norwich’s head coach. “Everyone contributed in some way and we hit the ball well. Mike and Trey pitched very well.
“We need the same type of play when we play Tuesday,” continued Bates. “We are looking to go for the three-peat.”
The Trojans topped Unatego 5-4 in the bottom of the eighth inning when an error by Unatego’s second baseman on Liam Flanagan’s hard ground ball up the middle. The result of the play sent Hunter Poland into score the game winner.
Unatego went up 1-0 after the top half of the first inning but Greene answered in the bottom half, scoring two to take the early lead.
The visiting Spartans scored a run in the top of the third, tying the game at 2-2. From there, each time Unatego scored in the top half of the frame, Greene responded to tie the game up with their at-bats.
Unatego drew two walks to open up the seventh inning but Kolby Finch was able to get out of the jam on the mound, striking out the next two and forcing the fifth Spartans’ batter to ground out to teammate and third baseman Poland.
In the bottom of the seventh, Trent Rapp was able to reach base with a ground ball single to the left side of the infield but he was left stranded as Unatego’s defense was able to get the next two outs.
After Finch opened up the inning with a wild pitch that hit Unatego’s batter, he came back firing to once again record to strikeouts in the inning to send Greene up to the bat for what turned into the game-winning trip to the plate for the Trojans.
Poland drew a walk and Anthony Sergi got on base with a single, moving his teammate into scoring position. Grayson Flanagan then moved both Poland and Sergi up on the base paths with his fielder’s choice ground ball, leading to Liam Flanagan’s hit to win the game.
Rapp led Greene at the plate, totaling three hits in four trips to the plate. Sergi and Jacob Finerty added two hits each as the Trojans finished with a total of eight in the win.
Finch picked up the win after coming in two pitch two innings of relief. Liam Flanagan started on the mound for Greene and he surrendered the only four hits by Unatego during the game. He lasted five and one-thirds innings before Hogan Ludolph came on for the other two-thirds of an inning prior to Finch taking the hill.
Greene and Norwich have played against each other twice this season, both coming away with a win in the season series. Tuesday’s winner will settle the series between the two teams and crown the 2019 PONY league champions. Game is slated for a 5:30 p.m. start on the historic field in the town of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Norwich 12, Franklin 4
Franklin 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 – 4 5 2
Norwich 5 2 2 0 1 2 x – 12 15 0
Mike Hagen (W), Trey Bates (5) and Logan Ford. B. Davis (L), B. Gregory (4).
2B: (N) Logan Ford, Trey Bates, Evan Sylstra.
3B: (N) Evan Sylstra.
Greene 5, Unatego 4 (8 Innings)
Unatego 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 – 4 4 6
Greene 2 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 – 5 8 1
Liam Flanagan, Hogan Ludolph (5), Kolby Finch (6, W). Backus, Johnson (L)
3B: (U) Utter.
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