State play begins for area teams
Kingston softball, Saugerties and Rondout Valley baseball among six local squads in action
State tournament play in baseball and softball begins Thursday with six area teams taking the field in regional semifinal games at four locations.
Kingston and Marlboro highs’ softball teams head to Middletown for their games. The Tigers play Yorktown at 3 p.m., followed by the Dukes and Valhalla at 5. Pine Plains’ softball team goes to North Rockland to face Haldane at 4.
Rondout Valley and Saugerties’ baseball teams will play at Pace University, with the Ganders taking on Albertus Magnus at 4 and the Sawyers facing Pearl River at 7. Pine Plains’ baseball team is at Saugerties’ Cantine Field, playing North Salem at 5.
The one local team not in action is Kingston baseball, which moved up to No. 3 in the New York State Sportswriters Association Class AA rankings. The Tigers have a vested interest in one game Thursday: Section 4 champion Horseheads playing Arlington of Section 1 in a semi at Maine-Endwell. Kingston has the bye and the 1 vs. 4 decides where Saturday’s final will take place. If Horseheads wins, it will be at Union-Endicott at 2 p.m. An Arlington victory means the Tigers will be headed to Pace for a 5 p.m. contest.
Tigers’ pitchers have thrown 23 shutout innings heading into the game. SOFTBALL Kingston vs. Yorktown
After winning the Section 9, Class A crown at Middletown on Saturday, the Tigers are returning there for their second regional game in two years, taking on Yorktown.
The 3-2 triumph over MonroeWoodbury extended the (18-4) Tigers’ win streak to 14 consecutive games. Kingston’s Kardiac Kids didn’t have another walk-off win, but they did survive a two-on, two
out scare from the Crusaders in the seventh.
Yorktown (18-5) won its first Section 1 title in nine years with a 4-1 win over North Rockland, with pitcher Erica Salveggi striking out eight and carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning.
If the Tigers win, they host Binghamton in a regional final noon Saturday at Rhinebeck. Marlboro vs. Valhalla
There are few remaining players from last year’s Class B state champion Marlboro team, but don’t tell these Dukes that. They beat Rondout 3-1 in eight innings for their third straight B title and fifth section title in a row. Shannon Camuso’s two-run single won it for the Dukes, who saw Mel Papuli carry a perfect game into the seventh.
Valhalla didn’t allow a run in the Section 1 tournament en route to knocking off Rye Neck for its B crown.
A victory sends the Dukes to Long Island on Saturday for a regional final, playing the winner of Thursday’s game between Section 8’s Wheatley and Section 11’s Babylon. If Wheatley wins, the game is 4 p.m. at Hofstra and, if Babylon triumphs, it will be 3:30 p.m. at St. Joe’s College. Pine Plains vs. Haldane
Pine Plains (15-4) hammered Sullivan West 16-1 to repeat as Class C champions. Haldane, comprised mostly of underclassmen, upset Pawling for the Section 1 crown.
If the Bombers win, they will play either East Rockaway or Southold in a regional final 2 p.m. Saturday at Rhinebeck. BASEBALL Rondout Valley vs. Albertus Magus
Rondout won its first sectional title since 2004 when it defeated defending state champion Marlboro in the Class B final. Andrew Huffman struck out three and threw a threehitter for the win.
The Ganders now get a (15-8) Albertus Magnus team that won the Section 1 crown. With a victory, Rondout plays either Wheatley or Mattituck in a regional final at 3 p.m. Saturday at Cantine Field. Pine Plains vs. North Salem
The (13-5) Bombers repeated as Class C champions as Matt Funk shut out Tri-Valley 7-0 for the Section 9 title. Pine Plains now has to get past North Salem, which has a 14-6 record and is the defending state champion.
With a win, Pine Plains would be headed to Long Island on Saturday for a regional final, playing the winner of Thursday’s game between East Rockaway and Southold. If East Rockaway wins, the game is 3 p.m. at SUNY Old Westbury and, if Southold triumphs, it will be at 4 p.m. at St. Joe’s College. Saugerties vs. Pearl River
Saugerties staged seventh-inning rallies to win its semifinal and championship games in Class A, the latter a wild 12-10 triumph over Cornwall.
With their second title in three years under the belts, the (15-6-1) Sawyers take on (20-4) Pearl River, which needed a walk-off hit to defeat Nyack for the Section 1 crown. It’s the Pirates’ first championship in 33 years.
A victory would earn the Sawyers a true home game. The regional final is scheduled for 6 p.m. Saturday at Cantine Field against either Vestal or MaineEndwell of Section 4.