Enter Sandman. South Troy Dodgers 18-year-old's third base,an Chris Sand connects on a double to lead off the second inning of Friday's game against the Dodgers' 17-year-old team in the American Amateur Baseball Congress Connie Mack North Atlantic Regional. The 18s, who put together a five-run second inning, defeated the 17s 7-2. (All photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Please do not adjust your monitor - those are two teams wearing the same uniform playing each other. That's Branden Cogswell (11) of the South Troy 18s sliding into third base in front of 17s third baseman Matt Roth (24) safely with a stolen base in the first inning. Cogswell finished the game with two hits and four runs batted in.

South Troy 17s second baseman Sean Geisel makes a throw to first during Friday's game. Geisel guided the Dodgers to the Upper New York State Amateur Baseball Association title last week at the Boght Area Baseball Complex and he added a single, a walk and a run scored for the 17s on Friday.

South Troy 18s starting pitcher Jim Brennan deals early in Friday's game against the South Troy 17s. He lasted only two innings, walking three, but allowing no runs. Reliever Sean Whitty recorded the next nine outs on 26 pitches, inducing a pair of double plays to work out of trouble and make the Dodgers' early lead hold up.

"It’s great knowing you have a team behind you to back me up like they did today," said Whitty, an Amsterdam native. "I hadn’t really thrown in a while so it’s good to get out there and throw a few innings. I’ll be ready the next time they need me."

The Dodgers v. Dodgers pairing was a bit unusual - Whitty admitted he pitched a complete game for the 17s earlier this season - but the players seemed to be able to buckle down and compete in spite of the kinship they feel for each other.

"It was weird and we knew it going in," said South Troy 18s manager Kevin Rogers. "Last night I tossed and turned about it all night. Coach LaValley (the 17s manager), I’ve known him for a million years. I mean, he’s our coach. I’ve helped him coach his team and he’s helped coach my team and I’ve coached all the kids in that dugout."
"We were trying to not think about that and just go out and play," he continued, "and we did that. I think we might have put it in neutral after the five-run inning, we sort of coasted, but we’re looking to pick it up tomorrow."

Saturday’s Schedule
AABC Connie Mack North Atlantic Regionals
All games at Geer Field, Troy

South Troy 17s vs. Connecticut Bombers, 9 a.m.
South Troy 18s vs. Long Island Titans, Noon
Remaining teams redraw after noon game
Games TBD 3 p.m.

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Spring Renegades continue their rampage in the 14-and-under NABF World Series

LYNCHBURG, Va. - The Spring Renegades continued to dominate the opposition in the second day of pool play in the National Amateur Baseball Federation World Series.
Spring posted a 17-0 victory over New Jersey in the morning, as Ryan McGrath and Kris Mueller led the way with two-run home runs. Jason Gallacchi added a solo home run and Joe Foran chipped in with two doubles for the Renegades.
In their next game, played at Lynchburg City Stadium - home of the Lynchburg Hillcats, Single-A affiliates of the Pittsburgh Pirates – Spring defeated an Allegheny, Va. squad 13-1. McGrath followed through with a triple and three singles, Foran added two triples and a single and Gallacchi also tripled.
Spring, which outscored opponents 55-5 through four pool play games, will face the second-place team from Pool B in the semifinals today at 10 a.m. Should the Renegades win that game, they will compete in the championship game at 5:30 p.m.
Many of the players on this team won the 13-and-under World Series in 2008.