Multimedia

• Watch The Video

ROME, N.Y. -- Standing just one loss away from having an historic season wiped out, Smith survived on Sunday with a performance straight out of New Hartford's worst nightmare, winning Games 2 & 3 of the District V American Legion Tournament Finals by slaughter rule at DeLutis Field 12-2 and 18-1.

In Game 1 on Friday, New Hartford put itself on the brink of winning the best-of-three series with a 9-8 10-inning win--its first against its rival in four meetings this season and Smith's first loss against a fellow Oneida County team this season. But after a rain postponement on Saturday the momentum didn't last, as New Hartford wasted several early opportunities in Game 2 and never gave itself a chance in Game 3.

Starting with Game 2, New Hartford put Smith co-ace Garrett Baker squarely on the ropes with eight baserunners in the first three innings, but Baker escaped without any damage. New Hartford finally broke through with two runs in the top of the fourth inning to tie the game 2-2, but Smith came right back in the bottom of the inning with back-to-back two-out RBI doubles off Erik Sheridan for a 4-2 lead. A two-run double and RBI triple in the fifth, RBI single in the sixth, and four-run rally in the seventh highlighted by a Kyle Richardson two-run home run gave Smith the 10-run mercy margin and ended the game early. Smith racked up 18 hits in just 6.1 innings.

Baker got the win, throwing all seven innings and allowing two earned runs on eight hits, three walks, a hit batter and striking out seven. Sheridan took the loss, allowing seven earned runs in 4.2 innings on 12 hits and two walks and striking out zero.

Because Game 2 ended early, Baker started again for Smith in Game 3 despite a half-hour break between games. This time New Hartford got to him in the first inning, as a double and two wild pitches gave the visitors a 1-0 lead. But Chandler Evans gave it right back in the bottom of the first, allowing an RBI single then throwing back-to-back wild pitches with the bases loaded to put Smith up 3-1. Jason Nowicki hit a three-run double in the second inning for a 7-1 advantage, and Smith was on its way to another seven-inning slaughter win.

Evans lasted just the two innings while Baker also left after two, giving way to Kyle Richardson to get the win in relief.

The district championship is Smith's seventh overall (including one shared title with New Hartford) and sends the Rome-based squad, now 27-3-1, to the state tournament at Delano Hitch Stadium in Newburgh beginning Wednesday.

New Hartford ends the season 23-10.