05/23/06
Patriots break Panthers’ streak
Six-run second, reliever Herringshaw help CV-S end Edmeston’s three-year reign, 9-7
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: TRI-VALLEY LEAGUE CHAMP
| | | Star photo by Julie Lewis
Cherry Valley-Springfield’s Ben Halay is congratulated by teammates after scoring in the second inning of Monday’s Tri-Valley League championship game against Edmeston at Oneonta State. Halay hit a two-run triple before he scored in the inning, helping the Patriots to a 9-7 victory. |
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IONSHIP
By Rob Centorani
Staff Writer
ONEONTA — With one final sharp-breaking curveball that ducked under Alex Stevens’ bat for the final out, Cherry Valley-Springfield ended three years of frustration.
Winning pitcher Steve Herringshaw authored the pitch that halted three years worth of Edmeston domination in the Tri-Valley League.
The Patriots’ 9-7 victory Monday at Oneonta State on an unseasonably cold and windy day was their first Tri-Valley League ch[an error occurred while processing this directive]ampionship in school history. Cherry Valley and Springfield merged in 1989.
The last outright league title for either district came in 1982, when CV-S coach Ed Dubben played for Cherry Valley.
"We just wanted to let everyone know we’ve been here for three years and finally won it," said CV-S catcher Mathias Vanderwerker, whose two-run double to left in the sixth inning gave the Patriots an 8-7 lead. "It feels awesome."
Dubben was emotional afterwards.
Dubben’s son, Scott, played six years of varsity ball for the Patriots without winning a league title. Scott Dubben was the losing pitcher in the last two league title games. Edmeston defeated the Patriots, 4-0, in last season’s title game, and 3-0 in 2004.
"We believed we could do it," a watery-eyed Ed Dubben said. "I just wish we could have done it last year for Scott."
The only constant in this one was the cold.
CV-S (12-3) took control with a six-run second inning off losing pitcher Ryan Laymon (6-3).
Ben Halay’s two-run triple to deep center highlighted an inning in which the Patriots sent 10 batters to the plate. Matt Fassett, Jeremy Hoag and Vanderwerker also had RBI singles in the inning. All six CV-S runs were unearned.
Herringshaw reached on an error with one out, when Edmeston shortstop Nick Davoulas mishandled a grounder.
Spencer Staley then walked, setting up one of many close calls.
Ian Hull flied to right for the second out, and Staley strayed too far from first base. Panthers right fielder Pat Norton threw behind Staley to first baseman Matt Laymon, who had to stretch toward second base, but appeared to keep his foot on the bag for an inning-ending double play.
But Staley was called safe.
"I thought he had it and then came off the bag after he caught it just to get his foot away from the runner," Edmeston coach Mike Clark said. "That’s what it looked like to me. That was their big inning. I thought he held the bag, but what can you do? You can only control what you can control and calls are part of the game."
Fassett and Hoag followed with RBI singles before Halay drove a triple over center fielder Jordan Williams for a 4-0 lead.
Halay scored on a wild pitch. Starting pitcher Hyde Clarke then walked and eventually scored on a single by Vanderwerker.
The defending Class D state champion Panthers (16-3), who’ve gone 66-4 with three T-V titles the past three seasons, chipped away at the lead.
They scored single runs in the third and fourth innings and three in the fifth to pull within 6-5.
"We didn’t lose, we got beat," Clark said. "We battled back from six runs down. I’m proud of the boys for not giving up. We were actually leading at one point. CV-S deserves credit. They played well and they deserved it."
In the Panthers’ sixth, Justin Plows reached on a fielding error by CV-S shortstop Halay and stole second. Matt Laymon then walked, chasing Clarke as Herringshaw (3-1) took over.
Plows then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Stevens that was intended to move the runners one base each. But Plows never stopped, scoring from second on the play to tie the score at 6.
Herringshaw walked three of the next four batters, the last of which scored Matt Laymon as the go-ahead run.
But just when it looked as if the game was getting away from the Patriots, they scored three times in the sixth.
Hoag reached on an infield single up the middle with one out. Davoulas made a lunging stab at the ball, but didn’t field it cleanly.
After Halay walked, Matt Laymon relieved his older brother.
He walked Clarke to load the bases before Vanderwerker hit a bouncing ball down the third-base line for a two-run double.
"I just wanted a base hit — just put it through the infield," said Vanderwerker, who went 3-for-4 with three RBIs. "That’s all I wanted."
Clarke scored from third on a wild pitch to make it 9-7.
Herringshaw then struck out John Schumacher and Plows to start the seventh. After a walk to Matt Laymon, he struck out Stevens on three pitches, and a joyous celebration ensued.
"I was so fired up, I wasn’t even cold," Herringshaw said. "I was just ready to throw strikes. The inning before, the strike zone got a little tight, but I fought through it.
"I was just mad," he continued. "That really helped me on the mound to show them I really wanted it this year."
CV-S 9, EDMESTON 7
Ryan Laymon (L,6-3), Matt Laymon (6) and Justin Plows. Hyde Clarke, Steve Herringshaw (6,W,3-1) and Mathias Vanderwerker. 2B — Plows (E), Mathias Vanderwerker (C). 3B — Ben Halay (C).
