An unidentified Ontario Blue Jays player wears the North Atlantic Connie Mack regional trophy on his forehead (the glass piece fell off when the team rounded second base) after Ontario defeated the South Troy Dodgers, 6-3, Monday afternoon at Geer Field. (Video captures by Will Montgomery).

TROY — The South Troy Dodgers were three outs away from clinching a second straight trip to the Connie Mack World Series.

And then the rally happened.

In the top of the seventh inning in the Connie Mack North Atlantic regional championship game, the Ontario Blue Jays, trailing by two runs, drew a pair of bases-loaded walks and hit three infield singles to score five runs.

Ontario Blue Jays players celebrate during their seventh inning rally Monday afternoon against the South Troy Dodgers. (Photo by Mike McMahon - The Record).

Rob Good relieved Ontario starter Eric Wood with two out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the inning. Good induced a pop-up to third base off the bat of South Troy’s Steve Anderson to cap a thrilling, 6-3, come-from-behind victory for the Blue Jays at Geer Field.

For the first time since 2001, when Ontario won the North Central region, the Blue Jays are headed to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M.

“It’s the best moment of my life,” said Good. “This is the biggest thing we’ll ever do probably as ballplayers. It’s a great moment for us.”

Dave Roseboom throws a pitch during Monday's game against the Ontario Blue Jays. He gave the Dodgers 9.2 innings of one-run baseball. (McMahon photo).

Wood allowed 10 hits in his six and two thirds innings of work, but walked just one and struck out six while holding the Dodgers to three runs.

"I was on planet Mars the entire game," said Wood. "There was so much intensity. This team is the best. I love every single one of these kids on this team. And this guy (nods to Good) comes in here and shuts the door. I don’t even have the words to explain it."

Wilcox led the way for Ontario with two hits and two RBI. The Blue Jays are based in Mississauga, Ontario, which is just south of downtown Toronto. Ontario's 16-and-under Mickey Mantle team is also headed to an American Amateur Baseball Congress World Series.

"We are together a little bit longer and I think that helps," said Ontario head coach Dan Bleiwas. "I've had this group together since they were 16 with very few changes. A core. I think it helps just the belief they have in one another when we get in situations like this, trailing into the last inning. I’m at a loss for words."

South Troy’s Dave Roseboom started the first game of the day, an 11-1, five-inning mercy-rule victory for the Dodgers in which Matt Zanotta hit a three-run home run for the second straight day. Roseboom threw just 41 pitches in that game and returned to start game two. Roseboom pitched into the sixth inning, allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts.

For video highlights from Monday's games, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Dodgers closer Brian Tatelman relieved Roseboom with two out in the sixth and struck out Ontario’s Jim Martin on three pitches to end the inning. Tatelman returned in the seventh and struck out the first batter he faced but quickly unraveled from there. Six of the next seven batters to the plate reached base either by being hit by a pitch, drawing a walk or hitting an infield single.

"We play every time…like all our wins are by one runs or two runs," said Wood. "We never give up. It’s just the way we are. We never give up.

"It’s so typical us," Wood continued. "We’re always in the game. It doesn’t matter what the score is or who we’re playing."

Scott Wilcox plated Jevon Jacobs with the go-ahead run on an infield single before Martin drove in two more runs on a double to left field. Wilcox, trying to score on Martin's double, was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.

South Troy second baseman J.P. Sportman makes a throw during Monday's game. Sportman, the Dodgers' leadoff hitter, was 5-for-10 with four RBI in South Troy's final three games in the tournament.

“He’s our closer and it is what it is,” South Troy Dodgers head coach Kevin Rogers said of Tatelman’s seventh inning performance. “We can’t blame one person. We should have probably put some more runs on the board in certain situations.

“He actually did his job, the ball was just bouncing the wrong way,” Rogers continued. “There’s not much I can say about that. The kids battled all year. We put ourselves in the position we wanted to be in and we came up short.”

Roseboom, who threw 121 pitches in two games and finished the day with nine and two thirds innings pitched, having allowed one run, five hits, one walk while striking out 11. The University of South Carolina Upstate-bound lefty, who was also drafted in the 47th round by the Boston Red Sox this spring, proved to be the Dodgers’ ace Monday, despite what happened in the seventh inning.

“Dave did everything he could,” Rogers said. “He gave us 10 innings. We had ourselves in the right spot. Dave has been a bulldog for us since he was 13 years old. I tip my cap to the Canada team. They kept battling.”

South Troy was blocked from making a return trip to the Connie Mack World Series, a major disappointment for an organization that hosted a pair of World Series-berth tournaments this month.

“This program is built to go to World Series,” said Rogers. “Our 18-and-under team is one of the elite in the country, so we put ourselves up with the best teams in the country. We’re supposed to win games like this and get to New Mexico. That’s what we’re built for, but we’ll take a couple of weeks off and try it again next year.”

Notes: I didn't have room to fit this in the story for the paper, but Ontario head coach Dan Bleiwas was adamant about the following point:

"First, I want to extend my thank-yous to the people of Troy and Albany and specifically to George and Kevin Rogers, who run the South Troy Dodgers," Bleiwas said. "They are a class act. I can’t say enough about how gracious they’ve been. This year we came out on top. Often enough they’ve had the opportunity to do it. They're gracious in victory and gracious in defeat. They’re just classy people."

"This is our ultimate goal to get there and win the Connie Mack World Series in New Mexico," said Bleiwas. "We intend to go out there and compete to our best and represent this region well and by extension, all teams in this region, including the South Troy Dodgers."

The Ontario Blue Jays storm the field after recording the final out in the championship game of the North Atlantic Connie Mack regional tournament Monday afternoon at Geer Field.

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The recap from the first game of the day is below:
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The South Troy Dodgers exploded for seven runs in the third inning of Monday's game against the Ontario Blue Jays in the Connie Mack North Atlantic regional finals, capped by Matt Zanotta's three-run home run to right center field. The Dodgers posted an 11-1, five inning mercy rule victory, forcing a final championship game for all the marbles - a trip to Farmington, N.M. and the Connie Mack World Series - today at 1 p.m. at Geer Field.

South Troy starting pitcher Dave Roseboom kept the Blue Jays off the board for four innings, throwing just 41 pitches. The Dodgers brought in Kyle LaValley in the fifth, who got three outs and kicked the mercy rule into effect. Roseboom will certainly be available for another 50 pitches or so in Game Two.

Matt Zanotta watches the f light of his three-run home run in the third innings of Monday's game against the Ontario Blue Jays. He also hit a three-run home run in Sunday's victory over the Richmond County Baseball Club. (McMahon photo).

South Troy chased Ontario starting pitcher Jordan Romano before he had even allowed one hit. Romano plunked Josh Ingham with a pitch to start the third inning and followed that with three straight walks. Braden Cogswell drove in a run on a single and Carson Helms scored on an error prior to Zanotta's home run.

Matt Zanotta greets South Troy head coach Kevin Rogers at third base following his three-run home run Monday morning. (McMahon photo).

South Troy Dodgers designated hitter Matt Zanotta connects on a three-run home run in the third inning of Monday's game against the Ontario Blue Jays. It was his second three-run homer in as many days.

Matt Zanotta greets his teammates at home plate after hitting a crushing three-run home run Monday against the Ontario Blue Jays at Geer Field.

J.P. Sportman slides into home plate on a wild pitch during the third inning of Monday's first game against the Ontario Blue Jays. He finished the game with one hit, two runs scored and three RBI.

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The South Troy Dodgers used a three-run home run from Matt Zanotta and a complete game performance on the mound from Josh Ingham Sunday evening to defeat the Richmond County Baseball Club, 5-1. South Troy plays host to the Ontario Blue Jays in Monday's championship showdown in the North Atlantic Connie Mack regionals. Ontario needs one win to move on to the World Series. South Troy would have to win at 10 a.m. and again at 1 p.m. to punch a second straight ticket to Farmington, N.M.

Matt Zanotta hit a big three-run home run for the South Troy Dodgers in Sunday evening's victory over the Richmond County Baseball Club.

TROY — The year of the home run continued for Matt Zanotta Sunday night and it couldn’t have happened at a better time for the South Troy Dodgers’ Connie Mack team.

After Will Remillard gave the Dodgers a one-run lead on a sacrifice fly in the fifth inning of an elimination game against the Richmond County Baseball Club, Zanotta poked a three-run home run over the fence in dead center field. Behind Josh Ingham, who pitched a complete game, the Dodgers posted a 5-1 victory at Geer Field and lived to play another day in the 18-and-under Connie Mack North Atlantic Regional.

Monday, South Troy hosts the Ontario Blue Jays at 10 a.m. at Geer Field. Ontario, undefeated in the tournament, can clinch a title and a trip to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M. with one victory over the Dodgers. South Troy needs to win two straight games against the Blue Jays to make a return trip to the World Series.

Should the Dodgers win the 10 a.m. game, a second game would be played at 1 p.m.

“Matt’s been slumping for us, but I’ll tell you what, he stepped up today,” said South Troy head coach Kevin Rogers. “He is one of the ones that keeps us in the game. Whether he’s playing bad or good, he’s always in the game, always rooting other guys on. He’s a motivator, that kid, and we love to have him.”

Zanotta, who hit a Section II record 18 home runs for Guilderland High School this spring, admitted that making adjustments to a wood bat and the talent-level of the pitching he sees with the Dodgers was tough, but hard work has helped him get back his swing.

“You always have to be prepared,” said Zanotta. “I knew if I didn’t do it, the kid after me was going to do it. We pass the torch pretty well. When someone ignites the spark, we’re ready to go.”

For video from this game, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

Ontario handed the Dodgers a 6-0 defeat Sunday afternoon, South Troy’s only loss in the tournament. Dave Roseboom, the University of South Carolina-Upstate bound lefthander, will take the mound for the Dodgers at 10 a.m.

"I had a great year for high school and when I came to the wood and all the better pitching and stuff like that, I struggled a little bit," Zanotta said. "But I’ve worked with all the coaches and got my swing back to where it was during the high school season."

Josh Ingham pitched a complete game, holding the Richmond County Baseball Club without an earned run in a 5-1 victory for the South Troy Dodgers Sunday evening at Geer Field.

South Troy starter Josh Ingham was great on the mound, only let down a bit by his defense in the fifth inning. Ingham threw a five-hitter, striking out two and walking just one in the 89-pitch complete game victory.

Unlike in the Connie Mack qualifier a few weeks ago where he was pressed into duty when the Dodgers' starter coughed up some early runs, Ingham was confident on the mound Sunday because he had a feeling he would be pitching in this elimination situation.

"I had a pretty good idea that it was going to be me or Wendell (Wright) today," Ingham said. "I was pretty focused. I sat up in the air conditioning before the game, kind of realized what I was doing a little bit and mellowed out. I knew it was going to be a big game. We knew we could beat these guys. We’ve beat them before. The last time was kind of a fluke. We were all really spent."

The Dodgers lost to Ontario 6-0 Sunday afternoon, but the Dodgers are confident to get right back at their neighbors to the north.

“They’re definitely beatable,” said Ingham. “We just left a lot of guys on base and didn’t capitalize in certain areas. We have the Boom (Dave Roseboom) going tomorrow, so we’re definitely getting a win out of him. We can piece something together. We have Wendell, too.

"We’re ready to go. We have pitching left and we don’t know what they have," Ingham continued. "It’s going ot be a good game."

Sunday's game against Richmond County certainly was a thrilling game, but it may never go down among the Dodgers' greats. It featured eight errors, an unusual 2-1-5-6 double play, and three Richmond County runners thrown out on the basepaths. The Richmond County coaches weren't too thrilled with some of the calls (the Dodgers also had their complaints) but everyone walked away from the game without incident.

Notes: John Franco, the former All-Star closer for the Cincinnati Reds and the New York Mets, was in attendance at Sunday's game. His son, J.J., plays shortstop for the Richmond County team.

The South Troy Dodgers' 16-and-under Mickey Mantle team is also running into the Ontario Blue Jays in the North Atlantic Regionals in Waterbury, Conn. The Blue Jays defeated the 16u Dodgers Sunday, but South Troy can earn a championship game rematch with a victory over the New Jersey Sharks Monday morning at 10 a.m.

The 17-and-under Dodgers are headed to the AABC World Series in Albuquerque, N.M. The 15-and-under Dodgers and the 14-and-under Dodgers played in their respective regional championship games, but lost. All in all, it's been a very successful summer for the South Troy program.

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Aaaaand the rest of Sunday's local roundup:
North Atlantic 16-and-under Mickey Mantle regionals
South Troy splits: The South Troy Dodgers 16-and-under Mickey Mantle team defeated the Diamondbuddies (Pelham, N.Y.), 21-3, Sunday in the North Atlantic regional in Waterbury, Conn.
Colin Grande went 4-for-4 with four runs scored, Nolan Driscoll went 3-for-4 with two doubles and three runs scored and Matt Sand hit a home run and a double.
Later, the Dodgers dropped an 8-2 decision to the Ontario Blue Jays, their first loss in the tournament.
South Troy plays the New Jersey Sharks today at 10 a.m. The winner of that game plays the Blue Jays in the regional championship at 1 p.m.
New York State Section 3 11-12-year-old All-Stars
East Greenbush-Castleton 7, Rotterdam 1: Jarrett Fortin was 4-for-4 with two doubles and a home run in the victory for East Greenbush.
Brendan Gurain pitched five innings of one-hit ball in relief to earn the victory.
Cody Seeberger and Tucker McKeown each had two hits and Seeberger had a home run for East Greenbush.
East Greenbush plays Saugerties tonight in the Section 3 semifinals at 6 p.m.
The winner will play on Tuesday night in the championship game in Chatham.
District 14 9-and-10-year-old ‘A’ Round Robin
Twin Town 18, Cohoes 0: Zach Price went 2-for-2 with three runs scored and Ryan Gutheil also went 2-for-2 with a double and two runs scored in a victory for Twin Town.
Issiah Piazza and Jakobi Cutler reached base two times apiece for Cohoes.
New York State 8-and-under Cal Ripken tournament
Spring Renegades win three games: The host Spring Renegades won three games in the Cal Ripken Tournament.
Avery Pascucci and Eli Gregware collected two singles apiece to lead the Renegades in an 8-5 victory over Beekmantown.
In a 7-6 victory over the North Colonie Padres, Mike Ragone tripled and drove in four runs and Cody Gunthner and Nick Yash combined on a nifty fielding play to end the game.
In a 6-4 upset victory over the previously unbeaten Clifton Park Mustangs, Gunthner, Marquese Holmes and Jonah Lozada teamed together on the pitching duties and Ronnie Devernoe added a tough catch.

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The Troy Renegades 15-and-under baseball team won the Upper New York State Mickey Mantle title this afternoon, defeating the South Troy Dodgers, 4-0. The Renegades clinched a berth in the AABC World Series, which begins August 3 in Owasso, Oklahoma.

The Troy Renegades 15-and-under baseball team poses for a team picture after winning the Upper New York State Mickey Mantle tournament Sunday at Knickerbacker Park. (Video capture by Will Montgomery - The Record).

TROY — The members of the Troy Renegades 15-and-under baseball team will soon be adding another out-of-state sticker to their suitcases.

Kris Muller laced two triples and Ryan McGrath pitched a complete game two-hitter against the South Troy Dodgers in Sunday’s 4-0 victory in the Upper New York State 15-and-under Mickey Mantle championship game at Knickerbacker Park. With the win, the Renegades clinched a berth in the American Amateur Baseball Congress’ Ken Griffey Jr. World Series, a national tournament for 15-and-under teams to be played in Owasso, Oklahoma beginning August 3.

Ryan McGrath (left) congratulates Greg Ruddy (right) as he scores a run in the seventh inning of Sunday's championship game. (All photos by J.S. Carras - The Record).

Renegades head coach Kevin McGrath asked the team after Saturday evening’s victory over the North Country Athletics who they thought should pitch Sunday morning. Without reservation, Ryan McGrath’s teammates said they wanted him on the mound.

Ryan McGrath throws a pitch during Sunday's championship game against the South Troy Dodgers at Knickerbacker Park.

McGrath allowed two hits, struck out two and walked four on 88 pitches over seven innings and never threw more than 16 pitches in a single inning. He threw first pitch strikes to 16 of the 27 batters he faced and relied on his infield defense, inducing 12 ground ball outs.“I was definitely hoping to pitch against them (the Dodgers),” he said. “It’s always a big game when we play against them.”

South Troy starter Mike Carryk went toe-to-toe with McGrath through the first three innings, but ran into trouble in the fourth. McGrath reached on an infield single – the first hit of the game for either team – and the next batter, Jason Gallacchi, reached base and advanced to second on a throwing error. Muller, a Saratoga Springs native, followed with his first triple of the day, a two-run blast that gave McGrath and the Renegades a bit of breathing room.

“It felt like it was going to come down to the bottom of the seventh,” Muller said. “We thought it was going to be a close game and it was a close game, but we still scored four.”

Muller scored Troy’s third run on a wild pitch and Greg Hotaling’s seventh inning double drove in Greg Ruddy for the Renegades’ fourth tally.

For video from Sunday's game, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

The Renegades were flawless in the field on Sunday, sparked by right fielder Muller’s diving catch in the first inning that robbed South Troy’s Nico Church of a leadoff base hit.

Third baseman Riley Laustrup, a Lansingburgh native who played on the Knickerbacker Park field for the first time Saturday, connects with the baseball during Sunday's championship game.

“If it went by me I knew it was going to be a double,” Muller said. “I looked at my glove and saw it in my glove. There is a bumpy hill out there and I didn’t know if I caught it.”

The last five winners of the 15-and-under Upper New York State title have all come from the Collar City. The Lansingburgh Royals won the tournament in 2009 and 2007. South Troy captured the title in 2008 and 2006.

Traveling around the nation for tournaments is nothing new for the Renegades. They won the 13-and-under AABC tournament in Michigan and finished third in a National Amateur Baseball Federation tournament in Lynchburg, Virginia last summer. A few weeks ago, Troy won the NABF 15-and-under Classic in Nashville, Tennessee.

“It’s really fun to get together and go away,” Ryan McGrath said. “This is our second trip this year and hopefully we’ll have a good tournament again.”

Kris Muller makes a catch in right field as Greg Hotaling looks on during Sunday's championship game.

A few years ago, this group of players joined together in Little League at Spring Youth Baseball. Rather than spread out to the established baseball programs in the area as they grew older, the players chose to stick together. Win by win, that decision is looking better every day.

“It’s another accomplishment for this team,” said Kevin McGrath. “I got together with a group of kids and they wanted to stay together. Anything is possible if you’re willing to put the effort in and it showed.”

Joe Foran, a Fort Ann native, makes a throw at shortstop for the Renegades in Sunday's championship game.

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Notes: A number of people deserve thanks for the hard work they put in to make these summer baseball tournaments possible. Kevin McGrath said he met up with volunteers from Spring Youth Baseball at 6:15 a.m. Sunday to go borrow equipment from Brunswick. With the help of Joe Henkel from the Lansingburgh Royals, they worked on the field for hours prior to the start of the game to make it the most playable surface possible. Many of the parents and coaches sacrifice a great deal of their time (and vacation at work) to be a part of the teams...and that certainly showed this weekend with all the work that needed to go into this tournament with the rain we received. There are a lot of parents and volunteers doing a lot of hard work in concession stands and with field maintenance behind the scenes every summer and Henkel did a very nice thing by making sure they were recognized during Sunday's game.

Renegades raising funds: Troy Renegades head coach Kevin McGrath admits it is hard asking for money at this point in time, but he is looking for fundraising ideas and/or donations to support his team’s trip to Oklahoma. He may be reached via phone at: 728-7948. Checks made payable to ‘Spring Youth Baseball’ may be sent to McGrath at: 17 Red Rock Road, Troy, NY, 12182.

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The South Troy Dodgers received a second straight day off in the North Atlantic Connie Mack regional thanks to noon-hour rainshowers in Troy.

Update (10:45 p.m.): OK, here is the new plan for Sunday.

The Clifton Park Yankees will play the Connecticut Bombers at 9 a.m. at Geer Field. (This is an elimination game)
The South Troy Dodgers will play the Ontario Blue Jays at Noon at Geer Field. (Both teams are undefeated).
The Richmond County Baseball Club drew a bye for this round.

Following the Noon game, four teams will remain and the brackets will be redrawn. Those four teams will play in games at Geer Field at 3 and 6 p.m., with the matchups to be determined.

Action will continue Monday, with the schedule dependent on what happens Sunday evening.

The tournament winner earns a berth in the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M.

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Heavy rain in the Capital Region all day Friday washed out the field in the Connie Mack North Atlantic Regional. Play will resume at 11 a.m. Saturday, weather permitting.

Saturday’s Schedule

Round Three

Clifton Park Yankees vs. Brooklyn Bonnies at Clifton Common, 11 a.m.

Connecticut Bombers vs. Long Island Titans at Geer Field, Troy, 11 a.m.
Ontario Blue Jays vs. Richmond County at Geer Field, 2 p.m.

*The brackets will be re-drawn following the Richmond/Ontario game*

Round Four

South Troy Dodgers vs. TBD at Geer Field, 5:30 p.m.
Teams TBD at Clifton Common, 5:30 p.m.

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And Friday's rain-diluted local roundup:
11-year-old New York State Championship
Spring Renegades 6, Wilton 5: Shawn Seabury hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the sixth to give the Renegades the victory at Blatnick Park in Niskayuna.
Jim Griffin struck out nine and had two hits, while Chris Hughs had three singles for Spring.
Michael Hughes had two doubles and Bob Waters hit a solo home run for the Renegades, who play against Poughkeepsie today at 5:30 p.m.


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The South Troy Dodgers are in the driver's seat after one day of play in the North Atlantic Connie Mack regional, having won two games. The Dodgers earned a third round bye on Friday and will play again Saturday against an opponent to be determined.


TROY — Two starts, eight innings, and no problems for Dave Roseboom (pictured above) and the South Troy Dodgers on Day One of the Connie Mack North Atlantic Regional.

Roseboom struck out the side on 12 pitches in the day’s first game against the Glendora (N.J.) Gators and the Dodgers scored six runs in the bottom of the frame. Roseboom was yanked after three outs and the Dodgers went on to win, 10-0.

In the second game of the day, Roseboom finished what he started, going the distance in a 3-1 victory over the Connecticut Bombers at Geer Field.

"This tournament still has a long way to go," said South Troy head coach Kevin Rogers. "We still have a lot of work to do. We’re ready. We’re looking to play. I’m hoping the day off tomorrow doesn’t hurt us. We’re looking to probably swing at some point. We’re ready to play, we have pitching left and we’re ready to play."

South Troy earned a third round bye and will not play again until Saturday. Geer Field, however, will play host to three games today, beginning with the Clifton Park Yankees facing the Brooklyn Bonnies at Noon.

“This is going to be our last hurrah for me, Will (Remillard) and J.P. (Sportman),” said Roseboom of his former La Salle Institute teammates. “This is going to be our last hurrah. Especially with school ball and getting knocked out early, that really left a bad taste in our mouth. Going to New Mexico last year was a great experience. We want to experience that again.”

For many of the players on the team, this tournament could represent some of their final games together unless they win it and clinch a second straight berth to the Connie Mack World Series, to be played in Farmington, N.M. in mid-August.


Steve Anderson (pictured above), South Troy’s slugging first baseman, a three-year member of the 18-and-under team, explained that this is the scrappiest team on which he has ever played.

“When you come back for your last year, it’s your last go-round and your last chance,” said Anderson. “In the qualifier, you want to play well, but the regional is where you go to the World Series. When you get to the regional it’s the last chance, all these last games.”

For video interviews with Roseboom and Anderson, visit www.troyrecord.com/video/sports

"This is great," Roseboom said. "It really puts us in the driver’s seat. It could work out that we’re the only undefeated team left and someone will have to beat us twice. That’s going to be interesting."

"Anything other than Farmington will be a non-successful season for us," said Rogers. "We’re still working at it. We still have work to do, but we’re going to keep playing."

North Atlantic Connie Mack Regional
Thursday Scoreboard
Round One

Ontario Blue Jays 3, Brooklyn Bonnies 0
Richmond County 3, Clifton Park Yankees 0
Connecticut Bombers 4, Waltham, Mass. 0
South Troy Dodgers 10, Glendora (N.J.) Gators 0 (6 innings)

Round Two

Brooklyn Bonnies 3, Glendora (N.J.) Gators 1
Clifton Park Yankees 5, Waltham, Mass. 1
South Troy Dodgers 3, Connecticut Bombers 1
Richmond County 6, Long Island Titans 0

Friday’s Schedule

All games at Geer Field, Troy

Clifton Park Yankees vs. Brooklyn Bonnies, Noon
Connecticut Bombers vs. Long Island Titans, 3 p.m.
Ontario Blue Jays vs. Richmond County, 6 p.m.

--
And the rest of your local roundup:
16-and-under Mickey Mantle North Atlantic Regionals
South Troy Dodgers 8, Southington 0: Matt Sand went 3-for-3 with three runs scored, Nolan Driscoll added two hits, including a double, and two runs scored for the Dodgers in an opening round win in the North Atlantic Mickey Mantle regionals in Waterbury, Conn.
Tim Burke pitched six innings of score¬less ball to earn the win for South Troy.
The Dodgers received a second round bye and will play again today at 5 p.m.
15-and-under at RPI
Troy Renegades win two games: The Troy Renegades defeated Niskayuna 5-3 and later topped the North Country Athletics of Watertown, 12-3, to advance in winner’s bracket play in a tournament hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Ryan McGrath drove in two runs with a double and a single in game one and he provided two more doubles and earned the win on the mound in game two.
Joe Foran (triple, double), Ian Bennett (two doubles, one single) and Greg Hotaling (double, single) also started in game one.
Riley Laustrup hit the mercy rule-induc¬ing three-run double in the victory over North Country.
The Renegades will face the South Troy Dodgers today at 5:30 p.m.
District 14 11-12 ‘B’ All-Stars
Twin Town Red 5, Brunswick 0: Griffin Pallidino made a number of nice catches in left field and also contributed an outfield assist, while Billy Smart pitched five and two thirds innings of shutout ball to pace Twin Town Red.
Brian Giddlings also excelled defen¬sively at second base and Chris Morris Jr. closed the door on the mound.
Cohoes 5, Watervliet 4: Jordan West and Jordan Clay went 3-for-4 for Cohoes in a victory over Watervliet.
Kyle Wigley added two hits, includ¬ing the game-winning single. Gabe Blizinski went 2-for-4 for Cohoes.
Jonathan Washock and Dan Passonno both went 3-for-4 for Watervliet.
East Greenbush-Castleton Gold 13, Green Island 4: Nick Forkeutis went 2-for-4 with a home run and five East Greenbush-Castleton pitchers com¬bined to toss a one-hitter to lead the Gold team to an 8-0 record and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, which begin Saturday.
Josh Johnson singled and drove in a run for Green Island’s only hit.
Albany Twilight League
Albany Athletics 11, Troy Haymakers 1: Albany right-hander Casey Walsh hurled a complete game one-hitter and struck out 13 batters, improving to 3-0 and leading the Athletics to an 11-1 win.
Jay Conde had an infield hit in the first inning that drove in the only run of the game on the only hit for Troy.
Empire State Games: For a roundup on the Adirondack Region's men's and women's scholastic lacrosse teams, check out Friday's edition of The Record.

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The Clifton Park Yankees didn't lose a game in the Upper New York State Connie Mack Tournament this past week, clinching a berth to the North Atlantic Regionals with an 8-2 victory over the Lansingburgh Royals.

Lansingburgh Royals starting pitcher Zak Hunt throws a pitch against Clifton Park Saturday afternoon in Schenectady's Central Park. (Photos by Mike McMahon - The Record).

SCHENECTADY -- The Clifton Park Yankees didn’t storm the field and pile on top of each other once the game was over, but that didn’t mean they weren’t glad to have won the 2010 Upper New York State Connie Mack baseball tournament Saturday afternoon over the Lansingburgh Royals.

"The rain kind of ruined our excitement toward the end of the game," said Clifton Park rightfielder and leadoff hitter Dave Wixted. "We’re still happy about it, obviously."


Wixted (pictured above) smacked a three-run triple down the right field line as part of Clifton Park’s six-run fourth inning. Yankees starting pitcher Matt Dempsey returned to the mound after a thundershower delayed the game for about 45 minutes, finishing his complete game and leading the Yankees to an 8-2 victory on Central Park’s ‘B’ Diamond.


Clifton Park, which won all five games it played in the UNYS Tournament, clinched a berth in the American Amateur Baseball Congress North Atlantic Regional, hosted by the South Troy Dodgers, which begins Thursday in Troy. The winner of the regional tournament earns a trip to the Connie Mack World Series in Farmington, N.M. in August.

The Yankees finished in a first place tie (16-4) with Colonie in the Eastern New York Travel Baseball regular season standings.

"My arm was really tired, but I had thrown six, so I wanted to finish the game," Dempsey (pictured below) said. "I didn’t want to stop there because of the rain."


The Yankees mounted a two-out rally in the fourth against Lansingburgh starting pitcher Zak Hunt, who had loaded the bases on a pair of walks and a bunt single hit by Scott Buniak. Wixted, who will play at Clarkson University next year, cleared the bases. Andrew Kalish followed with a single and Dan Lenney followed that with a triple of his own, knocking Hunt from the game.

Clifton Park first baseman Johnny Craig added a pair of RBI. The Yankees’ No. 1 through 4 hitters went 5-for-16 in the game, driving in all eight runs.

Lansingburgh Royals shortstop Dan Bergami makes a throw to first base during Saturday's game against the Clifton Park Yankees.

Dempsey, a rising senior southpaw at Shenendehowa High School, allowed seven hits and struck out four, scattering two runs while throwing 106 pitches.

Lansingburgh Royals head coach Ernie Ryan admits his teams feels a bit jinxed by the Yankees – he can’t remember the last time his team was able to defeat the Yankees – but he was still pleased by a second-place finish to end the season.

"I just told the kids, ‘last year we were third, this year we were second and next year we win it," Ryan said.

For video from the game, click here.

Lansingburgh’s two losses in the double elimination tournament both came at the hands of the Yankees. Clifton Park posted a 6-2 victory over the Royals Friday afternoon.

Dave Russo (pictured below), a two-year veteran for the Royals, embodied some of the struggles the team fought through in 2010. A sprained ankle forced him out from his regular position behind the plate and into left field. In the postseason draft, the Royals, with no catcher, had to pass up available pitchers to select D.J. Lyons, who played catcher for the Columbia County team that did not qualify for the tournament.

Part of the reason for the Royals success is the influence of head coach Ernie Ryan, a 40-year veteran on the local coaching scene, although he did spend some time in the 1990s in Georgia.

"Ernie is a great coach," Russo said. "He lets everyone do their own thing, really, but he keeps everyone together and keeps everyone nice and loose. All the kids came from good high school programs and all came together and played really well."

The Royals started the season with an 18-man roster, but by the end of Saturday’s game, due to injuries and defections, only 11 of the original players remaining.

"It’s a pretty good finish for us, I think," said Russo. "The team really pulled together and it’s pretty good to get a runner-up trophy. Hopefully next year they’ll win it for us."

Russo went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in Saturday’s game.

"I’m not disappointed. I’m not disappointed at all," Ryan said. "We played respectable. We won three games as the fourth seed out of our league and we were the runner-up."

Click on the box score (or any image in this post, for that matter) for a full-size image.

The Affordable Photo Pros were taking pictures from most of the games this weekend and to view some of their galleries, you can click here.

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Here are the scores from Round Four of the UNYS Mickey Mantle Tournament, which was played Saturday morning in Schenectady's Central Park:

So Troy 9, Adirondack A's 0: Adrindack eliminated.

Halfmoon 12, So Colonie 1.

Albany 5, Brockville, CAN 4: Brockville eliminated.

Round Five Schedule today at Central Park A Diamond:

South Troy 5, Halfmoon 3

Albany 8, Colonie 4

South Troy, Albany and Halfmoon were all 4-1 after Round Five. South Troy drew a random bye.

Albany and Halfmoon will play at Noon on Central Park's 'C' Diamond and South Troy will face the winner in the championship game at 3 p.m.

Note: Top TWO teams will win bid to North Atlantic Regional in Waterbury, Conn. beginning 7/22. By virtue of bye in Round Six, South Troy clinched a berth in the regional.

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Aaaand the rest of your local roundup:

LATHAM -- The South Troy Dodgers under-14 team were just where they wanted to be on in the North Atlantic Regionals on Saturday afternoon at Boght Field.
With a 5-4 lead late in the game against the Brooklyn Youth Service, the Dodgers seemed to be in good shape.
Brooklyn came back to win 12-8 and put the Dodgers on the brink of elimination.
Later in the day, the Dodgers battled back to defeat the Brooklyn Bonnies 14-4 to advance to today’s championship round.
Mike Mannix had two doubles and drove in three runs and Mike Herrington doubled and drove in three runs, for South Troy.
The Dodgers have to beat Brooklyn Youth Service twice today to win the tournament. The first game is at 12 p.m.
NABF Under-15 Classic
Troy Renegades 10, White House, Tenn. 0: Charlie Farrell threw a complete game shutout for the Renegades.
Jason Gallacchi hit a two-run home run and Joe Foran had two triples, including a bases-loaded triple for Troy, which plays Frederick (Md.) today at 12 p.m. in the semifinals.
Greg Hotaling had a two-run single and Ryan McGrath had a double for the Renegades.
Under-15 Pony Tournament
Waterford 6, Twin Town Devilcats 2: Chris Carmel pitched a complete game, three-hitter to lead Waterford to the victory.
Austin Sanning went 4-for-4 with a double and four RBI, while Ed Clairmont added two hits and two RBI for the victors.
Waterford plays today at 12:30, at Kelts Field against the Syracuse Red Storm.
District 14 11-12-year-old ‘A’ Round Robin
Lansingburgh 14, Rensselaer 1: Ryan Savoy pitched a no-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Joe Vandenburgh backed him with a home run and a single.
Sean Mannis and Jake Martell added two singles apiece for Lansingburgh.
District 14 11-12-year-old ‘B’ tournament
Cohoes 11, Brunswick 7: Josh Giller and John McKnight both went 3-for-5 and George Parent and Brandon Scully added two hits apiece for Cohoes in a victory over Brunswick. Jordan West earned the win on the mound for Cohoes.
Brunswick’s Nolan Senecal went 3-for-4 with a double.
Twin Town Blue 6, Twin Town Red 5: Anthony Cioffi pitched a complete game and Sierra Jaeger hit two singles aand drove in two runs for Twin Town Blue in a victory over Twin Town Red.
Thomas Culnan hit two singles and drove in two runs for Twin Town Blue.
District 14 9-10-year-old ‘A’ tournament
Brunswick 6, Lansingburgh 3: Piddy McGrath and Matt Ashley had two hits for Brunswick in the victory.
Albany Twilight League
Albany Athletics 6, Blue Slate Bluehawks 0: Athletics righthander Bill Lawton threw six innings of two-hit ball and fanned eight batters leading the Albany Athletics to a victory over Haack Division foe Blue Slate Blue Hawks.
The A's won their 11th straight league game and clinched a berth in the Twilight League playoffs and the AABC Upper NY State Tournament.

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The Lansingburgh Royals split a pair of game in the Upper New York State Connie Mack Tournament Friday, setting up a championship series with Clifton Park on Saturday.

Scotty Morrissey of the Lansingburgh Royals Connie Mack team rounds third base during Friday's game against the Clifton Park Yankees. In Lansingburgh's second game of the day, Morrissey pitched a complete game gem, keeping the Royals alive in the Upper New York State tournament. (Pictures by Mike McMahon - the Record).

SCHENECTADY -- Scott Morrissey will be the first to admit that when it comes to pitching, he’s no expert.

But by mixing speeds, changing locations and pounding first pitch strikes, the Lansingburgh Royals’ crafty southpaw kept his Connie Mack team in the mix for another day.

In an elimination game against the South Colonie Raiders, Morrissey, who had pitched just six innings in relief 2010, college and summer ball included, spun a four-hitter, striking out nine in a 2-1 victory for the Royals at Central Park’s ‘C’ Diamond.

"I just get out there and throw it as hard as I can," Morrissey said. "I really don’t know what I’m doing as a pitcher. But with wood bats you have to put a good swing on the ball to get a hit. Most kids are going to get themselves out. You throw strikes and eliminate walks and that’s half the battle right there."

Today, Lansingburgh will face undefeated Clifton Park in the championship round of the Upper New York State Connie Mack Tournament, which begins at 3 p.m. on Central Park’s ‘B’ Diamond. Should Clifton Park win that game, the Yankees claim the championship. If Lansingburgh wins, a winners-take-all game will be played at 5:30.

Friday’s Upper New York State Connie Mack Scoreboard
Quarterfinals

Colonie 6, Bethlehem 3
Clifton Park 6, Lansingburgh 2
East Greenbush 9, Halfmoon 7 (nine innings)

Semifinals

Clifton Park 5, East Greenbush 4
Lansingburgh 2, Colonie 1

Saturday’s Schedule
‘B’ Diamond, Central Park Schenectady

Lansingburgh vs. Clifton Park 3 p.m.
Game two (if necessary), 5:30 p.m.

Clifton Park Yankees catcher Matt Cuttita takes a mighty cut during Friday's game against the Lansingburgh Royals. He finished the game 1-for-2 with one run and one RBI.

Morrissey walked one – he did also hit Colonie’s Nick Valletta, the first batter in the first inning, with a pitch – and threw first pitch strikes to 17 of the 27 batters he faced. From the second inning through the sixth, he allowed just two baserunners, one on an error and the other on the walk, both of which occurred in the third.

"The biggest thing you preach it all year long is first pitch strikes," said Lansingburgh head coach Ernie Ryan. "You get ahead of the hitter, like he did the whole game, and you’re in control. Behind, and they’re in control.

"The kid has guts," continued Ryan. "He’s pitched six innings all year long. When you get in a tournament and you play four games in two days, you use whaterver arms you got. He’s a great kid. You can’t ask for any more than what he gave you."

Colonie threatened in the first inning, as Jake Mullen scored on a passed ball and Chris Kalica and Justin Harris followed with back-to-back singles, putting runners on the corners with one out. Harris broke for second and the Royals chased him in a pickle until Kalica took off for home.

Lansingburgh shortstop Dan Bergami gunned him down at the plate and Morrissey struck out Colonie’s Christian Fitzgerald to end the inning.

"In that situation, we were trying to get a run across and they didn’t buckle," said Colonie head coach Ed Kelly, who was standing in the third base coach’s box at the time. "They were prepared for it and we weren’t able to get the run across. Who knows? It was a run we needed at the time."

Lansingburgh Royals pitcher Dan Nittinger, a Watervliet native, throws a pitch during a game against the Clifton Park Yankees. Nittinger took the loss, but pitched well outside a three-run second inning for the Yankees.

In the top of the second inning, Lansingburgh’s Zach Gardner walked and Mark Tracey, the next batter, was hit by a pitch. Zach Carle delivered an RBI single and Morrissey drove in Tracey, the go-ahead run, on a sacrifice fly.

A Lansingburgh native and a graduate of La Salle Institute, Morrissey played 60% of the games in center field for Clarkson University this spring, but did not throw a single pitch. A long-time member of the South Troy Dodgers organization, Morrissey (pictured below) came back to the Royals for the flexible schedule that allows him to work for his home-improvement business in his spare time.


"I got a lot of playing time as a freshman," he said. "I could have played South Troy. I played with them for four years and they know what they’re doing over there. They run a good organization and they put kids in college. But that’s not what I was looking for this summer. I was already settled into school and everything. With work and the jobs I do and everything, the Royals were a better fit for me."

For video from the game, click here.

Clifton Park's Andrew Kalish is beaten to the first base bag as Lansingburgh Royals first baseman Mark Tracey hangs on during Friday afternoon's game in Schenectady.

Colonie head coach Ed Kelly was proud of the effort Eric Birdsall put forth on the mound in his return from a month-long injury respite. Birdsall also went the distance, allowing just one earned run on 97 pitches.

Colonie's Nick Valletta and Chris Kalica will be representing the Adirondack region in the upcoming Empire State Games. Kalica will also be suiting up soon for the Bayside Yankees, who picked him up after seeing him play in last week's Connie Mack World Series qualifier, hosted by the South Troy Dodgers.

"That’s my goal, obviously, to help kids," Kelly said. "Whether it be college or to further their careers. To be quite honest with you, I'm just a pit stop. I just try to make them better."

D.J. Lyons, a catcher, was drafted by the Royals following the Eastern New York Connie Mack season. Lyons, who played his high school ball at Germantown, played on the Columbia County Connie Mack team.

One of the interesting parts about watching the Upper New York State Tournament is seeing which teams added which players after the regular season. Players whose teams did not qualify for the postseason are eligible to be drafted by the teams still alive.

Clifton Park snagged former Guilderland High star Luke Stark with the first pick. He threw five quality innings against the Royals to lead the Yankees to a 6-2 win.

Lansingburgh, however, could not grab arms, having more pressing needs. Catcher Dave Russo is battling an injured ankle and can only play left field. The Royals also needed a shortstop, so they picked up Dan Bergami to play short and D.J. Lyons to handle the catching duties.

Former Cambridge High stars Zak Hunt and Zach Carle will take to the hill for the Royals today against Clifton Park, which had defeated Lansingburgh 6-2 in earlier action Friday.

One scary note for Royals fans: Ernie Ryan claims that he's been jinxed by Clifton Park, the regular season league champions.

"I can't remember ever beating them," he said.

Still, the Royals never know what kind of performance they'll get on the mound. Morrissey's gem Friday night was proof of that.

"I’ve never been a starter since Little League," said Morrissey. "We didn’t have anybody to throw and I told him (Ryan) I wanted the ball. I just got out there and tried to get ahead of everybody and throw strikes.

"I just got lucky, I guess," he laughed.


For full-size box scores, click on the images above.

Here is the Connie Mack bracket after two full days of action:
2010+Upper+NYS+Connie+Mack+Bracket +End+Day+2

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Here is your schedule for the Upper New York State Mickey Mantle tournament, which continues Saturday in Schenectady's Central Park at 9 a.m.:

A Diamond: Colonie Raiders (2-0) vs Halfmoon Mariners (3-0)
B Diamond: Albany Falcons (2-1) vs Brockville Bunnies (1-1)
C Diamond: So Troy Dodgers (2-1) vs Adirondack A's (1-1)

The updated Mickey Mantle bracket has been pasted below for those of you keeping score at home:

2010+Upper+NYS+Mickey+Mantle+Bracket +End+Day+2

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Aaand the rest of Friday's local roundup:

LATHAM - The South Troy Dodgers Sandy Koufax team won two games to advance to the North Atlantic Regionals winner’s bracket.
The Dodgers beat the Centerville Owls, 4-3, and the Western Mass., Cubs, 6-3, Friday.
Mike Harrington pitched six strong inning to lead the Dodgers past the Owls. Tyler Childrose struck out three in one inning of relief to earn the save.
Tom Carrigan hit a two-run double for the Dodgers.
Mike Manning’s two-run triple helped the Dodgers beat the Cubs.
Sandy Koufax-13-year-old Upper New York State Tournament
Royals eliminated: The Lansingburgh Royals 13-and-under Sandy Koufax baseball team entered Friday’s Upper New York State Tournament with high hopes, but those will have to be put on hold for another week.
The Burnt Hills Bobcats defeated the Royals 6-2 in an early afternoon contest before the Capital District Cyclones eliminated the Royals with a 9-1 mercy-rule victory at Chapko-Lewis Stadium.
Luke Fane went 3-for-6 with one run scored and one stolen base for the Royals in the two games. Jarred Jarosz was 3-for-5 at the plate, with a double and two steals to his credit.
The Royals plan to play in the Empire Tournament beginning Wednesday.
NABS 15 & Under World Series
Troy Renegades 8, Cleveland Express 5: The Renegades had only five hits but bunched them well to score five times in the fifth inning after the Express had taken a 5-3 lead with three in the top of the inning.
The victory evened Troy’s pool-play record at 1-1 in the event at suburban Nashvillle.
They’ll face Whitesville, Tenn.
A pair of walks got the Renegades started in the fifth inning on Friday, then winning pitcher Jason Gallacchi drilled an RBI-double.
Greg Hotaling had a two-run single in the inning and Brian McGrath tripled home a run and scored.
Chuck Parslow pitched two scoreless innings of relief for Troy to each a save.
The Renegades had dropped a 5-2 decision to the Worth Bulldogs of Nashville on Thursday. Joe Foran hit a two-run homer for Troy in that game.
District 14 11-year-old ‘A’
Twin Town 12, East Greenbush 2: Christian Testo went 4-for-4 with a home run, a dou¬ble, four runs scored and five RBI as Twin Town pushed its series lead to 3-0. Game Four will be played Monday at 6 p.m. at East Greenbush. Game Five, if necessary, will be played Wednesday at 5 p.m. at Twin Town.
Dylan Jones went 2-for-4, driving in three runs for Twin Town. Tyler Ranken went 2-for-2 with an RBI and a run scored for winning pitcher James Rubino, who allowed three hits over three and two thirds innings pitched.
District 14 9-and-10 ‘A’ round robin
Twin Town 10, Cohoes 6: Dylan McNamara and Zach Price both doubled and scored runs for Twin Town in a victory over Cohoes.
Jake Woodard doubled and scored a run for Cohoes, while his teammate, Dan Buchanan, added a double, a single and a run.
District 14 minors, 9-and-10-year old ‘B’
Twin Town Blue 14, Lansingburgh 10: Trevor Collins doubled and drove in two runs and John Giannone tripled and drove in a run for win¬ning pitcher Matt Romano and the Twin Town Blue team.
For Lansingburgh, Ray Evans tripled and singled and Ethan Sopko hit a double.
Rensselaer 17, Cohoes 7: Hank Billetts dou¬bled twice, added a single and drove in seven runs for Rensselaer, backing winning pitcher Stephen Sousis.
Brandon Kramer hit a pair of doubles for Rensselaer.
For Cohoes, Shania Brammer hit a double and drove in two runs.
East Greenbush-Castleton 8, Twin Town Red 0: Zach Schott ( four innings pitched) and Griffin Breen (two innings) combined to shut out Twin Town Red in a victory for East Greenbush-Castleton.
Nick Butler went 2-for-3, Schott added a double and two RBI and Tyler Hanrahan went 1-for-1 with a walk, a run scored and a run driven in.
Cal Ripken 12-and-under State Tournament
Spring Scorpions 7, Queensbury 6: Trailing by five runs in the sixth inning, the Spring Scorpions mounted a tremendous come-from-behind victory over Queensbury in the 12-and-under New York State Cal Ripken Tournament in Wilton.
Kyle Houser delivered the two-run go-ahead single in his second at-bat in the inning.
Bryan Seabury pitched the entire game, striking out four, and he added a solo home run at the plate for Spring.

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