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5-31-2007 By ERIC AHLQVIST Editor The Redskins, 18-2, will play C-2 winner Fabius-Pompey tonight (Thursday) at Larry DeLutis Field in Rome at 7 p.m. Delutis Field was also the site of their C-1 title win on Monday, an 8-1 victory over Westmoreland. Senior Luke Banner, the ace of the staff for much of the season, got the win Monday, going all seven innings and allowing two hits and one unearned run. Miosek did not have to use his ace until the final, as sophomore Jim Fort pitched a complete game in a 3-1 victory over Sandy Creek in the opening round game, and junior Philip Pohl pitched a complete game in a 3-2 win over Bishop Grimes Saturday, also at Doubleday Field. Saturday's game was the most dramatic for Cooperstown and its fans, as they trailed 2-0 heading to the bottom of the sixth inning. But Banner led off with a single, and one out later Pohl hit a long home run over the left field fence to tie the score at 2- 2. "Philip just has a maturity beyond his years," said CCS baseball coach Frank Miosek. "We made a couple of errors behind him in the field but he never pouts or gets down on anyone, he just keeps playing. I like to point that out to my players and everyone else." The Redskins scratched the winning run across in the bottom of the seventh inning, as Tyler Combs reached on an error and moved to second on a fielder's choice. Fort, a lefty, chopped a grounder toward second, and when the second baseman bobbled it, Combs rounded third and continued home, diving across home as an errant throw got past the catcher. Pohl, the Most Valuable Player of the Center State Conference last year and the top catcher in the league, may get the start tonight against Fabius-Pompey, but then again he may not, Miosek said. "I don't like to tell my kids who's starting until the day of the game," Miosek said. "That way no one loses sleep over it." Miosek said Fort is another option, and Banner should be available as well. While Saturday's game had a lot of drama, Cooperstown had a more workman-like victory Monday. The Redskins scored two runs in the bottom of the third when Mac Curran reached on an infield single and was sacrificed to second by Fort. Banner followed with a single to put runners on second and third, and stole second. Frank Petroskey grounded out for the first run, and after Pohl was hit by a pitch, he and Banner pulled off a double steal to make it 2-0. CCS put the game away in the fifth, when Petroskey lined a bases loaded double down the left field line and freshman clean-up hitter Kyle Liner singled in another run during a four-run inning that made it 6-0. Liner has played right field, third base and catcher in the three sectional wins, and can play every position on the field, Miosek said. "It's a big asset to have someone that versatile," Miosek said. "He plays all the positions and he plays them all well, and his attitude is even better." On Thursday, Fort made two first inning runs stand up, throwing a complete game, striking out five and retiring the final 10 men he faced. Cooperstown scored all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning. Leadoff man Banner singled on the first pitch of the game, and Petroskey doubled to rightcenter field on a hit and run to put runners on second and third. Pohl singled to left to score both runners. Fort ran into trouble in the top of the second, when an error and a bloop double put runners on second and third with no outs. But the southpaw struck out the next two batters, and got the third out on a weak come backer to the mound. The Comets scored their only run of the game in the third on a two-base throwing error and a two-out single. Petroskey led off the bottom of the fourth with the second of his three hits, stole second and went to third on a wild pitch, and scored on Pohl's second single of the game. Petroskey added another double leading off the bottom of the fifth, but was thrown out at third trying to tag up on Pohl's fly ball to centerfield. If the Redskins beat Fabius tonight, it will mark just the second time in program history they have won a Section three Class C title. They won their only title in 1999, then lost to Trumansburg in a state quarterfinal contest. Fabius, 14-2, is the top seed in C-2 and have won 13 straight games. |
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