Oneonta’s Green Wave
ends state run in final four
STAFF REPORT • Special to www.AllOTSEGO.com
Oneonta’s run at a state title in Legion baseball ended Tuesday, July 27, in Saugerties.
The Green Wave lost to Smith Post of Rome, 6-1, Tuesday, to end its tournament.
After losing its first game of the day Monday, in the double-elimination, eight-team tournament, Oneonta rallied to defeat Schenectady, 7-6, to make it to the final four.
Tanner Russin had a walk-off double to keep the Green Wave alive in the tournament.
Oneonta lost to Hamburg, 16-6, in Monday’s opener. It beat Clinton County in the opening game of the tournament, Sunday, July 25, 8-0, Jordan Goble got the win Sunday, pitching six innings. Cole Platt had an RBI double and Aidan Breakey had a triple and two RBI.
The Green Wave went 2-1 in the opening days of the state tournament, a week after winning a District 6 title last week.
The Green Wave swept two games from Harpursville-1596 on Monday, July 19, at Conlon Field in Binghamton to win its third District 6 championship.
Oneonta won, 1-0, and, 19-1, in a mercy-rule win in the finale to secure the title.
After losing their first game of the tournament Friday, July 16, the Green Wave had to win five straight to claim the title.
In the opening game Monday, a tremendous pitching performance from Jordan Goble helped lead the Green Wave to a 1-0 victory, forcing a final game for the title. Goble tossed 6.2 innings, limiting the high-powered Harpursville offense to four hits.
Goble was aided by terrific defense throughout that included a pair of spectacular outfield assists from Owen Burnsworth and Seamus Catella and two more from centerfielder Kaden Halstead.
The infield defense was stellar as well led by third baseman Tanner Russin, who made three sparkling plays at the hot corner.
In the bottom of the seventh inning, Goble reached his pitch limit with one out left to secure the win. Catella came in to earn the high pressured save, recording the final out via strikeout with the bases loaded.
The Green Wave had five hits against the hard throwing Harpursville southpaw, but Aidan Breakey was able to manufacture the only run of the game in the top of the fifth inning of the scoreless game. Breakey led off the fifth inning with a single and quickly stole second base.
Burnsworth then ripped a ground out to second base, moving Breakey to third base where he would eventually score the lone run of the game on a passed ball by the Harpursville catcher.
In the decisive second game, the Green Wave offense erupted, 19-1, for a mercy rule shortened five-inning win to earn their spot in the state tournament.
The Green Wave scored four runs in the top of the second inning as Burnsworth started the assault with an RBI single to make it 1-0. Kendall Haney polished off the second inning and a 4-0 lead with an RBI double scoring Burnsworth. In the top of the fourth inning, the Green Wave put the game away with an 11-run outburst to make it 15-1.
Haney pitched a five-inning, complete-game win, finishing with six strikeouts. Haney led the offense with two doubles and two RBI. Breakey and Goble both finished with two hits and three runs scored while Burnsworth had two hits, scored four runs and had three RBI for the Green Wave.