Dodgers drop two in qualifier, eliminated from tournament

There was plenty of bonus baseball played Monday, as the South Troy Dodgers went 12 innings with the Cincy Flames in the Connie Mack World Series Qualifier. Cincy won that game, 2-0, and South Troy dropped a later game to the Richmond County Baseball Club, 8-3, eliminating them from the tournament.

Cincy Flames second baseman Blake Castator is about to beat out a fielder's choice in front of South Troy Dodgers pitcher Josh Ingham (9) covering first base during Monday's Connie Mack World Series Qualifier game at Geer Field in Troy. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

TROY -- Monday morning, the South Troy Dodgers were in the driver’s seat in the Connie Mack World Series qualifier as the only team remaining without a loss in the double elimination round.

By Monday evening, the Dodgers had crashed after playing 19 innings of baseball and scoring just three runs in the process.

Against the Cincy Flames in the day’s first game, which featured five intentional walks among its many oddities, South Troy starting pitcher Josh Ingham twirled seven and one third scoreless innings before turning things over to Wendell Wright.

Wright induced an inning-ending double play on his first pitch and pitched two more scoreless innings as the game moved to the twelfth. Cincy pounced with a single, triple and double in the frame to score two runs. In the bottom of the inning, South Troy stranded runners on first and second, losing 2-0 at Geer Field and setting up a second game against the Richmond County Baseball Club.

Richmond County scored three runs in the first inning and three more in the second, cruising to an 8-3 victory and eliminating South Troy from the tournament.

"We had a great day yesterday and a tough day today," said South Troy shortstop Brendan Cogswell, a rising senior at Shenendehowa High School. "It’s amazing how things can change over the course of 24 hours."

Wendell Wright throws a pitch during Monday's game. He induced an inning-ending double play in the eighth with his first pitch of the game and provided three more innings of scoreless relief, but the Dodgers could not back up his relief effort with any runs.

The Dodgers mustered just five hits - J.P. Sportman collected three of those - in the 12 innings against Cincy. Still, the Dodgers were not at a lack for baserunners. South Troy stranded 12 runners in the game, leaving men on third base in the first and second innings and scoring no runs in a bases-loaded situation in the eleventh inning.

"After the 12-inning game, I was exhausted," said Cogswell. "I had to somehow find a second wind. It was tough. If we played a seven inning game in the first game, to come back here, I feel like it’s a whole different ballgame."

Having to use Ingham and Wright for a combined 159 pitches also altered the Dodgers’ strategy for the late game.

"We were in the driver’s seat, planning on pitching Wendell later," said South Troy head coach Kevin Rogers. "But we needed to win that game to get to the championship. At the end of the day, we decided it was worth the risk. They both pitched great. We just didn’t score any runs."

"We made a couple of mistakes, but they worked their way around it," Rogers continued. "They had baserunners all day and we kept fighting and battling. It was a great baseball game. Obviously, you don’t want to be on the wrong end of those games, but it was a good game."

South Troy Dodgers right fielder Matt Zanotta slides into third base after advancing on a passed ball in the second inning. Cincy Flames third baseman Robby Sunderman looks on.

Against Cincy, Sportman led off the eighth inning with a single, but was caught stealing second base for the first out. In the ninth, Steve Anderson led off with a double, but pinch-runner Nick Bernardo was thrown out at third base when trying to advance on a ball hit behind him to the shortstop.

"There wasn’t really a lot of pressure, but you always want to beat the team you’re playing to get an automatic bid to the championship," said Cogswell. "We probably should have swung the bats a little bit better. And this was a must-win game (against Richmond County) and you have to come through, but no one really hit the ball."

Richmond County starter Robert Maguire threw a complete game gem in the nightcap, striking out five and walking two on 99 pitches over seven innings. Richmond County shortstop J.J. Franco, the son of former New York Mets closer John Franco, went 2-for-3 with two RBI and a pair of walks.

South Troy Dodgers starting pitcher Josh Ingham deals during Monday's game. He threw seven and one thirds scoreless innings before being lifted for Wendell Wright.

South Troy’s dream of playing in the Connie World Series has not been shattered. The Dodgers will host the North Atlantic regional beginning July 22, with the winner of that tournament also punching its ticket to Farmington, N.M., site of the World Series.

"This gets us ready for the guys that aren’t used to this tournament," Rogers said. "This tournament is a grind. Getting to New Mexico is a grind. The guys who have been there know that and hopefully we can get it together and play well next week."

"Tomorrow is a new day," said Cogswell, who went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles against Richmond County. "We have to figure out what’s going on. We can always improve. We just have to figure it out and play a couple of games and try to win the regional here and try to get to the World Series."

South Troy Dodgers second baseman Dan Priore makes a catch during Monday's game against the Cincy Flames. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

Click on the box scores above for full-size images.

• NOTES: Florida Legends first baseman Ozney Guillen hit a home run to right center field in Florida's 3-0 victory over the Frozen Ropes Titans team from McKinney, Texas. It was a no-hitter victory for the Legends, as one of their lefthanded pitchers - I think it was Brian Radziewski, but I didn't get a lineup card for the first game - did not allow a single hit over seven innings.
• The Legends have won this tournament each of the past three years
• In addition to the five intentional walks in the Cincy/South Troy game, four runners were thrown out on the basepaths.
• Catcher's interference was called on Cincy's backstop, Ryan Oltorik, during the eleventh inning. The recipient, Nick Bernardo, was stranded on third base.
• In all, 25 baserunners were stranded in the 12-inning marathon. South Troy had a one-hour break before playing Richmond County.
• South Troy, 12-for-62 at the plate Monday, batted .194 in the two games and left 17 runners on base.

Monday’s Scoreboard

Florida Legends 3, Frozen Ropes Titans (McKinney, Texas) 0
Cincy Flames 2, South Troy Dodgers 0 (12 innings)
Richmond County Baseball Club 8, South Troy Dodgers 3

Tuesday’s Schedule

Both game at Geer Field, Troy
Florida Legends vs. Cincy Flames, 9 a.m.

Championship game

Richmond County Baseball Club vs. first game winner, Noon

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Here is Monday's local Little League roundup.

NORTH GREENBUSH — Dylan Farley recorded 11 of the 15 outs in the game via the strikeout, throwing a no-hitter for Twin Town in a 10-0 victory over East Greenbush in a District 14 10-11 ‘A’ Tournament victory in the first game of a seven-game series.
Farley allowed just two baserunners in the game, both on walks.
Tyler Ranken went 2-for-3 with a double, a home run and four RBI and Christian Testo went 4-for-4 with two doubles. Gregory Allard drove in four runs in a 2-for-3 performance at the plate.
The teams continue the series Wednesday at 6 p.m. at East Greenbush.
District 14
9-10-year-old ‘A’ Tournament
Twin Town 11, Lansingburgh 4: The Twin Town 9-10-year-old team is headed to the District 14 ‘A’ all-star championship game after Monday’s 11-4 victory over Lansingburgh.
Matt Schumaker was 2-for-2 with a run scored, while Ryan Gutheil doubled and scored a run and Thomas Ryan was 2-for-3 with two runs scored for Twin Town.
John Vandenburgh was 2-for-3 with a run for Lansingburgh, while Charlie Finning doubled and scored a run.
Twin Town faces East Greenbush on Wednesday night in the championship game.
9-10-year-old ‘B’ Tournament
Twin Town Red 13, Twin Town Blue 7: Jack Paris earned the victory on the mound for the Red team.
Cam Smith had a triple and a single for Twin Town Red.
Jack McKenna hit a home run and two singles for Twin Town Blue.
East Greensbush/Castleton 12, Lansingburgh 4: Three East Greenbush pitchers combined to only allow two hits and strike out 10 batters on the way to the victory.
Chris O’Keeffe and Nick Butler each drove in two runs for East Greenbush.
Josh Chenaille tripled and scored a run for Lansingburgh.
Brunswick 12, Cohoes 1: Pitcher Frank Zotto earned the win, Jake Scharnott doubled and Ari Ginsberg singled twice in Brunswick’s victory over Cohoes.
Albany Twilight League
Albany 4, Waterford 0: The Athletics (13-2, 22-5-2) were led by pitcher Jim Shook, who threw his sixth complete game of the year and struck out 10.
John Marcella had two hits on the day and Ben Paniccia doubled for Albany, which has now won 10 straight league games and is atop the Twilight standings.

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For a story on Siena College's Dan Paolini playing in the Cape Cod league this summer, courtesy Brien Bouyea, click here.

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