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Whitesboro Baseball Advances to State Quarterfinals

By Sports WKTV

Story Created: Jun 9, 2008 at 11:57 PM EDT

Story Updated: Jun 10, 2008 at 8:40 AM EDT


AMSTERDAM, N.Y. -- In the Section III, Class A championship last week, the Whitesboro baseball team grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat with a 7th inning rally. In the first round of the state Class A playoffs on Monday at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam, the Warriors nearly did the opposite. Leading 7-3 going into the bottom of the 7th, Ichabod Crane ralled for three two-out runs before a deep flyout ended the game.

With the way the rally happened, it sure looked like Ichabod Crane was destined to win. With the bases loaded and two out, Whitesboro relief pitcher David Parker walked in a run, gave up an infield single off his leg that scored another, and then threw a wild pitch, making it 7-6 and putting the tying run on third and the winning run on second. Joe Mahar then sent a deep fly ball to right field, but George Hajjar ran it down to end the game. The outcome might have been much different had Alex Ferenti not hit a solo home run in the top of the inning that proved to be the difference.

The result gave the victory to T.J. Abounader, who struggled with the hitters and the sweltering heat all afternoon but battled through 6.1 innings. Abounader allowed 5 runs (all earned) on 10 hits and five walks, but helped put out the fires with nine strikeouts, the biggest of which came in the bottom of the 4th inning. After a two-run home run cut a 4-1 lead to 4-3, Ichabod Crane loaded the bases with two outs. Abounader was clearly on the ropes, taking extra time between each pitch, but he came back to strike out Ichabod's number five hitter Josh Ingham to end the threat.

Whitesboro, now 21-5, advances to the quarterfinals, where it will play Section X's Franklin Academy-Malone Tuesday at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse at 7:00. Ichabod Crane ends the year 20-8.

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