New York State Class AA baseball semifinals
NSYEG Stadium, Binghamton

• Massapequa vs Mamoraneck, 10 a.m.
• Columbia vs Clarence, 1 p.m.
• Championship game, 4 p.m.

Columbia's Nolan Gaige (No. 15, above) and Ian Gaule (No. 10) look to pitch and slug the Blue Devils to another New York State championship this weekend in Binghamton.

First up for Columbia, ranked No. 3 in the latest state poll, will be Section VI champion Clarence, ranked No. 4.
Clarence, nicknamed the Red Devils, beat Penfield 14-3 on 13 hits in the far west regional final to advance to the state Final Four. Just like the Blue Devils, they have a patient and high-octane offense.

“That’s been pretty consistent throughout the course of the year,” Clarence coach Dave Smith said of his offense to the Buffalo News. “Through the order one through nine, we had quality at-bats. Once we got up, we opened it up a little bit on the base paths and played an aggressive game.”

It won't get any easier on the other side of the bracket should Columbia win in the semis. Mamoraneck, ranked No. 2 in the state, knocked off an undefeated La Salle team in last year's state semifinals and No. 5 Massapequa is no slouch of a team either, having emerged from the always tough Long Island level of play.

The Blue Devils had a potent lineup of their own with Patrick Puentes, Nolan Gaige and Ian Gaule making up the meat of the order. But with 13 seniors, this Columbia had plenty of guys who can step up on any given day.

"Pat, Nolan and Ian, it’s really nice to have those three guys, but the one guy who has really stepped up in a leadership role this year is Bobby Peluso," said Columbia head coach Chris Dedrick. "He is a team leader, he’s our vocal guy and he’s the rock. He gets everything going.

"Another guy that has stepped up in the dugout is Ian Bridegroom," Dedrick continued. "He was our staring catcher last year but this year, he had a shoulder injury during football. He’s the guy in our dugout that keeps everybody going. He’s really stepped up and done a tremendous job for us."

Check out The Record on Saturday morning for a story about how the Sorensco Baseball Association in East Greenbush has vaulted both the Maple Hill and Columbia teams - separated by a mere 10 miles - into the New York State Final Four.

New York State Class C baseball semifinals

Binghamton University

• Maple Hill vs Oyster Bay, 10 a.m.
• Seton Catholic-Binghamton vs Frewsburg, 1 p.m.
• Championship game, 4 p.m.

One thing opposing teams do not want to be seeing at this time of year is that sight above - Jaime Schultz dealing on the hill.

Schultz has struck out 59 hitters and allowed three hits in 26 innings of postseason work for the Wildcats. He no-hit Voorheesville in the Class CC quarterfinals, dominated Cambridge in the CC title game and struck out eight in the final three innings against Fort Plain in the CC-C playoff game.

In other words, the High Point University-bound senior has been lights out for the Wildcats at the perfect time.

Maple Hill (17-8) won its third Section II title in school history last week but this is the first time they had advanced to the state regional round, never mind the state semifinals.

We'll have more on this coming later, but it's been an absolutely great 2008-09 season for Maple Hill athletics. The boys soccer team defeated Lake George for a Section II soccer title, beat Stillwater in the Class CC-C basketball playoff, advancing to the state title game, and the baseball team knocked off Fort Plain in an epic CC-C playoff last week in Saratoga Springs.
(Let's not forget the girls soccer and basketball teams, which had wonderful seasons as well).

This weekend's games at Binghamton U. could be a fairy tale ending to a powerful 2008-09 story.

New York State Class AA softball semifinals
At Waterloo High School

• Columbia vs Fairport, 9 a.m.
• North Rockland vs Brentwood, 9 a.m.
• Championship game, 1:30 p.m.

Columbia (20-6) has done it their way this season. The games aren't often pretty, but the Blue Devils have had breaks go their way because of a rock solid defense and an always positive attitude.

The task facing any team who wants to win a state championship this weekend is trying to win two games in one day in a faraway place, but that shouldn't be a problem for a veteran Columbia crew.

"Sure, they’re running on adrenaline, but playing two or three games in a day is not unusual for them," Columbia head coach Gary Holtz said. "It’s something they tend to do all summer on their travel teams. A pitcher can pitch two games in a day without a whole lot of problems."

And as amazing as the Columbia-Maple Hill baseball story is, let's not forget that both of the East Greenbush nines are nearing a diamond dream ending to what's been an incredible 2009 spring season.

"It’s fantastic," said Holtz. "The kids on the baseball team are a class act. It has made for a great atmosphere at the school that both teams are playing right up until the last day of the season."

Check out Saturday's edition of The Record for more on the Columbia softball team and second baseman Brittany Hart.

New York State Class B softball semifinals
At Waterloo High School

• Mechanicville vs Marlboro, 9 a.m.
• Fredonia vs Chenango Valley, 9 a.m.
• Championship game, 1:30 p.m.

Mechanicville (23-5-1) has won five Section II titles since 2000, but all have come at the Class C level. This is their first shot in Class B.

In a 5-2 regional final victory over Canton (who Cohoes had defeated a year earlier in the same round) Anna Arceneaux (pictured above) was spectacular. She struck out 10 batters, surrendered just two runs, both unearned, on three base hits.

Arceneaux earned NYS Class C Player of the Year honors last year, leading the Red Raiders to a State Championship.

There's no doubt this team has the talent to do it again, but she's going to need plenty of run support against the Empire State's best on Saturday.

New York State Class C softball semifinals
At Waterloo High School

• Hoosick Falls vs Rhinebeck, 1:30 p.m.
• Randolph vs Tioga, 1:30 p.m.
• Championship game, 5 p.m.

Hoosick Falls right fielder Karley Morin reacts after making an unbelievable catch in the Section II Class CC semifinals against Hoosic Valley (pictured, above) - and it's been that kind of postseason for the Panthers.

In five postseason starts, freshman Rachel Quackenbush has scattered eight hits over 35 innings, allowing three runs (only one earned) in a 4-3 victory over St. Lawrence on Wednesday. She has struck out 68 hitters over that span. And did I mention that she smacked the walk-off, game-winning RBI double in the bottom of the seventh against St. Lawrence?

This team has a lot of fun playing the game and they are fundamentally sound in the field, which goes a long way at this time of year. And with Quackenbush dealing the way she is, the Panthers look to be in store for a few more nailbiters yet.

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Travel safe and have fun this weekend, everybody! It figures to be another great weekend for high school sports in Binghamton and Waterloo (and in Syracuse for the state track and field meet).