Plainsmen rally, hold on
Two-run seventh gives Shenendehowa margin in Class AA quarters
Shenendehowa pitcher Colin Maloney, having been staked to a two-run lead in the top of the seventh inning against 2021 Section II Class AA champion Christian Brothers Academy, was bound and determined to finish what he started Friday afternoon.
He recorded two outs before walking Jack Gialanella on four pitches and Maloney’s pitch count had reached its limit. In came junior reliever Nino Salati seeking to record the biggest out of his varsity career against CBA senior slugger Michael O’shaughnessy.
Salati won his battle as he struck out O’shaughnessy on a 2-2 pitch looking as the sixthseeded Plainsmen denied CBA’S attempt to win consecutive titles with a 4-2 victory in the Section II Class AA quarterfinals.
In a day filled with seeding upsets in Class AA, Shenendehowa joined No. 7 Saratoga Springs and No. 8 Columbia as winners Friday. The only quarterfinal that held to seeding form saw No. 4 Shaker edge No. 5 Ballston Spa 3-1.
“The Suburban Council is a bear. Everyone has good pitching, everyone plays good defense and everyone can swing the bats,” Shenendehowa coach Greg Christodulu said. “As we’ve seen all year, anyone can beat anybody on any given day. We feel fortunate and proud of what we did today to win on the road at CBA. We will see what happens Monday.”
“It just shows that anyone
can win. What happened in the regular season means nothing now,” said Maloney, who scattered five hits and struck out six.
“This is the best game we’ve played all year,” Shenendehowa senior center fielder David Gustafson said. “It was tight all the way through, a good battle between two good teams.”
Maloney, a senior right-hander headed to pitch next year at Rhode Island, allowed two runs in the bottom of the first. He escaped a bases-loaded jam in the second as the Plainsmen turned an inning-ending double play and also stranded the bases loaded again in the sixth.
“He dug down deep. He may not have had his best stuff, but he really worked hard,” Christodulu said. “You really saw him grind at the end and we were counting his pitches.”
Maloney’s biggest escape of all Friday occurred in the fourth. CBA had runners on second and third with no outs. Instead of scoring to take the lead, CBA ran itself into trouble and eventually out of the inning completely as the Plainsmen turned a miraculous triple play.
Ben Huckans flied out to left for the first out. AJ Hicks tagged up at third, but hesitated after running about 20 feet. The throw from Shen left fielder Guiseppe D’elia reached catcher Alex Sandberg as Hicks retreated toward third. At the same time, CBA’S Jackson Lilley broke from second going to third. Downey fired the ball to shortstop Ethan Farina to retire Lilley and the Plainsmen recorded the third out with Hicks being tagged out in a rundown going back to third.
“It was unfortunate for them, but our kids acted well under pressure,” Christodulu said. “Just the situation, they executed every phase of that play. That is the first triple play I have been associated with.”
“We knew Colin was a big-game pitcher and prepared for him,” CBA coach Casey O’connor said. “My hitters took the correct approach and I am happy with the path they took. We got his pitch count up, but he had a couple of quick innings. That triple play really hurt us. It was a big play. I was gambling there because I didn’t think there would be a lot of runs.”
“This is awesome,” Maloney said. “I didn’t have my best stuff, but the defense did a hell of a job behind me with a triple play and a double play.”
CBA senior pitcher Ryan Bilka, like Maloney, allowed two runs in the first inning. He settled in and gave up four hits total over the five innings and finished with seven strikeouts.
The game remained tied at 2 entering the seventh. Nick Barrese reached on an infield single and advanced to second when the throw went out of play. CBA reliever Casey Carroll then attempted to
pick off Barrese, but threw the ball away as the Shen second baseman advanced to third. Sandberg then drew a walk facing O’shaughnessy, who moved from third to the mound to replace Carroll.
With runners on the corners, in stepped Gustafson — Shen’s leadoff hitter. He proceeded to take a first-pitch fastball and then ripped another fastball to left for a two-run double.
“I was looking fastball. Coach told me to take a pitch,” Gustafson said. “I knew (fastball) was coming next pitch and pulled the trigger.”
“I am so happy for him,” Maloney said of Gustafson.
“Gustafson has really had some great at-bats this season. He has hit into some tough luck, but he came through for us in a big spot,” Christodulu said.
“They were a challenge. They have gritty hitters and I give them credit,” O’connor said of Shen’s lineup. “They were prepared . ... They were tough outs.”