SWINGING WITH HART
Saratoga’s Brian Hart two-run home run propels Blue Streaks past Scotties
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » The Saratoga Springs baseball squad jumped into the Blue Streak Express roller coaster Friday afternoon, a new addition at East Side Rec and after a few fun twists and turns, things got hairy heading into the final turn. After more than a few gasps, gulps, expletives and more, the car returned safely into the station with a 4-3 Suburban Council win over Ballston Spa.
After being knotted at two runs apiece through three innings, senior Brian Hart blasted a two-run home run over the tall right field fence to not only put Saratoga Springs ahead, 4-2, but also redeem himself after two pop outs, including squandering a bases loaded opportunity in the second.
“In my first two at-bats I was ahead, I was out in front and my front foot and didn’t have the right approach,” Brian Hart said. “I changed my approach and my third at Bat and uh, slowed my hands down and put my hands through the ball and it just went out and it was a great feeling.”
Facing Ballston Spa lefthanded starter Nick Reed, Hart’s adjustment proved costly.
“That’s just recognition of who’s at the plate, what position you’re in because again he han-
dled him pretty much the first two at-bats, but you always gotta be careful of a sleeping lion a little bit,” Ballston Spa coach Curtis Nobles said. “He made one mistake in the zone and you know, Hart being one of the better hitters in the league he punished him and he did his job.”
Reed recovered and his Scotties offense did almost everything to get him the win along with some unintended help by the Blue Streaks.
In the top of the seventh inning and the contest heading to a close, three consecutive infield errors, including two on Chance Checca’s grounder and attempted force out at second of lead-off batter Donovan Rhoden. Josh Parlapiano would then reach safely on a throwing error to first, loading the bases. An RBI walk to Evan Fox pushed Ballston Spa within 90-feet of tying the contest with two outs and a base hit providing even more.
Saratoga Springs coach Andy Cuthbertson would then call on starter, now needed for relief, Nico Concha.
The reliever may not have needed much ice after his outing, delivering a single pitch and saw it
“I was very proud that they competed for 21 outs. You saw the Columbia game where we kind of just played 16 outs and then we kind of gave in.”
— Ballston Spa coach Curtis Nobles
popped up in the infield, snagged by Concha for the one-pitch save.
“I’ve seen maybe one or two if that,” Andy Cuthbertson said. “But to draw it up like that where you hit a weak, fly ball back to him that was the first for that.”
Cuthbertson said to his bench earlier that he would only use Concha if needed.
“I said ‘How was your stuff?’ And he said he was good,” Cuthbertson said. “I watched his velocity and looked like his fastball was on and he had good command of it.
“So I was comfortable putting him in that situation and I just said work ahead of the hitters and we’ll react defensively.”
Youth again proved costly for the Scotties Friday night.
“When you have a team on a hook like that and both teams are battling and when you have an opportunity like that you can’t let them off the hook off on one pitch, especially with a relief guy coming in,” Nobles said. “I could understand if he was 3-for-3 on the day and attacking that first pitch, but you know, he’s struggling a little bit the timing-wise.
“So yeah, you know, it’s a maturation process for these juniors and younger kid, he’ll learn from that.”
There was more to learn for Ballston Spa once again coming out of a loss Friday afternoon.
“I was very proud that they competed for 21 outs,” Nobles said. “You saw the Columbia game where we kind of just played 16 outs and then we kind of gave in.
“They had their big inning and our kids put their hands between your legs a little bit, but with this game they felt they were in it from the first pitch to the last pitch and we were one pitch away.
“To me feel like the steps are being made properly. We’re 4-2, we have 14 games left and I feel pretty confident where we’re at.”