The Oneida Daily Dispatch (Oneida, NY)
Oneida falls in Junior Legion state title game
Vestal uses solid pitching performance to capture championship
Oneida Post needed a comeback to beat Clinton County and advance in the New York State Junior American Legion Baseball state tournament and got just that when Jorden Barlow popped a sacrifice bunt over a charging Mariners first baseman and Ryan Chevier lifted a fly ball over a drawn-in in field for a tworun single en route to a 6-2 victory.
Needing another comeback in Saturday’s championship game, the team came up just short, falling to Vestal Post 3-1.
The loss ended a solid season for first-year coach Tyler Mallinder’s squad. Oneida captured a District 5 title and entered the state tournament with a 20- 0 record with half of those victories coming by 10 runs or more. He took over a team with talent, as well as some varsity experience, and said one of the keys has been staying focused throughout the season.
“It’s been a team that’s been together for a long time,” Mallinder added. “They know each other and they get along well and they don’t give up. That’s the key. And they play hard. That’s big.”
Oneida’s first game in the state tournament was a prime example of the team’s resiliency. Needing a victory to have a chance to advance to the title game, Oneida entered the bottom of the fifth inning trailing Clinton County 2-1. Lukas Albro and Henry Froass each reached safely
to set up Barlow’s bunt. Chevier, who also pitched five innings to earn the win on the mound, then provided the game-winning single.
“I don’t know if it was early morning or what but it started off a little slow,” said Mallinder. “We finished like we were supposed to do. That’s what we’ve been doing all year.”
Albro and Froass hit RBI singles during a threerun sixth inning to give Oneida some breathing room and Barlow pitched two scoreless innings to close out the victory.
Oneida then had to face Fort Orange and a threehour delay between games didn’t slow its momentum. Mallinder’s squad scored in each of the first four innings, taking a 10- 0 lead. Fort Orange scored once in the bottom of the fifth to delay the enforcement of the 10-run mercy rule. Oneida came back with nine runs in the top of the sixth and didn’t allow a run in the bottom of the inning, ending the game with a 19-1 advantage after six innings.
“I wasn’t sweating so much so that was good,” Mallinder said with a laugh.
He added on reaching the title game “I didn’t expect it so it’s pretty awesome. It’s a good group of kids and they’re playing well.”
In the state championship game, Oneida jumped out to a 1- 0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. With two outs, Barlow struck out but reached first on a dropped third strike. He stole second and third before scoring on a wild pitch.
That run would be the only one for Oneida. Vestal took the lead with a two-run inning against starter Sam DiGeorge in the top of the second, scoring on an RBI single by Matt Arthur and a basesloaded walk to Trey Avery. Derek Avery’s RBI double in the top of the fifth extended the advantage to 3-1.
Oneida loaded the bases with two outs in the bottomof the fifth but Arthur took the mound in relief of Kyle Taborne and got an inning-ending popout before retiring the side in order in the sixth and seventh innings to close out the victory.
Despite the los s , Mallinder still sees a bright future for baseball in Oneida.
“I think the future’s in pretty good hands for (varsity coach) Ryan (Kramer),” he said Friday. “A good team, a lot of talent. They just got to keep working hard and they’ll be all right.”