H.S. Baseball: Cooperstown, Sauquoit advance to C final
By
MIKE LEVIN
Story Created:
May 30, 2011 at 11:18 PM EDT
Story Updated:
May 31, 2011 at 12:03 AM EDT
ROME, N.Y. (WKTV) - At least one team from the Mohawk Valley will become a Section III Class C champion, either Sauquoit Valley or Cooperstown. That's because both teams won their respective games Monday at DeLutis Field in Rome, Sauquoit beating Pulaski 10-8 in the C-1 final and Cooperstown topping West Canada 6-0 in the C-2 final.
The Redskins scored three runs in the top of the first inning and rode the arm of Ryan Bennett, who pitched a four hit shutout, to victory over West Canada.
Sauquoit had a rougher road, though they started off with a lot of offense, scoring seven runs in the first two innings. But the Blue Devils responded with two runs in the third and six in the fourth to take an 8-7 lead.
But Steve Szatko, the Indians starting pitcher, came through with a three run home run in the top of the seventh. Then he shut the door on the mound, striking out two of the three batters he faced. Szatko struck out fourteen while driving in six runs on the game.
The Class C Section Championship game is Thursday at Alliance Bank Stadium in Syracuse, with the first pitch scheduled for 7 p.m.
