By Rob Potter
LOCH SHELDRAKE — July 9, 2010 — A successful squeeze bunt in the bottom of the sixth inning provided the winning run as the Ellenville Post 111 Cyclones defeated visiting Tillson Post 1219 by the final score of 8-7 in a Senior American Legion District 3 baseball game on Tuesday night at Sullivan County Community College.
With the score knotted at 7-7, Ellenville Post 111’s Jeremy DeGori led off the bottom of the sixth by ripping a double to deep left field. The next batter, Andrew Yager, flew out to right field. But it was a productive out as DeGori tagged up and advanced to third base.
Chris Stawski then stepped into the batter’s box for Ellenville Post 111 (11-10 overall, 3-5 District 3). He bunted the ball near the third base line about 10 feet from home plate. Tillson Post 1219 third baseman Guy Finkbeiner and pitcher Matt McNamee both ran to field the ball. But by the time McNamee picked up the ball, DeGori had crossed home plate with what would become the game-winning run and Stawski was just a couple of steps from first base so there was no place for McNamee to throw the ball.
The Cyclones loaded the bases moments later after Ross Abbott singled and Erik Mayberg walked. But McNamee got out of the jam with a fielder’s choice ground ball that led to Stawski being forced out at home and a flyout.
Tillson Post 1219 (3-10) tried to rally in the top of the seventh. Jeromy Wegrzyn led off with an infield hit and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt and an error. But Ellenville Post 111 pitcher Travis Renwick got the next two batters to fly out and ground out, respectively, to preserve the Cyclones’ one-run win.
Matt Persell gave the Cyclones a 1-0 lead the bottom of the first when he scored on an error.
But Tillson Post 1219 responded with four runs in the top of the second. Ryan Atkins hit an RBI single and Brian McKeever hit a three-run double off the left field fence.
Tillson Post 1219 extended its lead to 5-1 in the top of the third on an RBI single by Felix DeJesus.
Ellenville Post 111 made it a 5-3 game in the bottom of the third thanks to Stawski’s two-run home run over the center field fence.
The Cyclones took a 7-5 advantage in the bottom of the fourth. Kenny Fisk hit an RBI double to left-center field and scored on a single by DeGori to even the game at 5-5. Moments later, Stawski belted a double to right field to bring DeGori and Yager in to score.
After scoring a run in the top of the fifth, Tillson Post 1219 knotted the score at 7-7 in the top of the seventh. Finkbeiner scored the game-tying run on a single by Atkins.
“It was a close game, but they got us with the squeeze,” Tillson Post 1219 Coach Al Baker said. “I was happy with our players, they gave a good effort. It was a good game.
“We have been in the game in a lot of our losses,” he added. “The scores have been close.”
Ellenville Post 111 Coach Jed Carrier noted that the Tillson Post 1219 players did a good job.
“They’re a scrappy bunch,” he said. “They really hit the ball well tonight.”
Of course, Carrier was also pleased with how the Cyclones played.
“It was a good win for us,” he said. “Ryan Alsdorf wasn’t as sharp as he has been, but he gave us four-plus innings out there. Travis [Renwick] came in and got the two-inning save. He has been lights out all year.
“We hit the ball well today,” Carrier continued. “We used wood bats in some games this season, but our players see the difference with the aluminum bats. They are swinging a second quicker with the aluminum bats. Andrew Yager and Jeremy DeGori have been swinging the bat well all season.”
Carrier is happy that there are no rainout games to be made up, so the team’s pitching rotation is set up for the rest of the regular season. He said the team will be in the upcoming District 3 playoffs, but exactly what seed the Cyclones will be and who they will play in their first game won’t be announced until next week.
District 3 includes Senior American Legion teams from six counties: Albany, Columbia, Greene, Scholarie, Sullivan and Ulster.