AUBURN - If at first you don't succeed, bunt the ball again.
One inning after Port Byron failed on a squeeze play that would have won the game, the Panthers' Tab Carmon bunted home Dan Jefferds to tie Weedsport 8-8 in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Weedsport pitcher Bryce Leitten then lost his control. Leitten, who went the distance for the Warriors and pitched brilliantly for much of the game, hit a batter and walked in the game-winning run as the Panthers won, 9-8, and advanced to play Moravia in Saturday's championship game of the Cayuga County Tournament at 3 p.m. at Veteran's Park.
For much of the game, it looked like the Warriors would win easily. Port Byron fell behind 5-0 after two innings, and Leitten set down the first six Panthers in order.
Carmon put Port Byron on the scoreboard with a two-run single in the bottom of the third. The Panthers added another run in the fourth and two in the fifth to pull the score to 6-5.
Leitten gave the Warriors an insurance run in the sixth with an RBI single and then pitched his finest inning of the game. With Port Byron's Jefferds on second base, Leitten struck out two straight batters to get out of the jam. He finished with eight strikeouts on the game.
Weedsport threatened to add to its lead in the top of the seventh, but some heads-up defense by the Panthers saved them the game. The Warriors' Kevin Lynch laid down a bunt with Nicholas Topichak on third base. The ball rolled just onto the grass in front of home plate and Port Byron pitcher Mitch David snared the slow-roller and lunged at Topichak, just knicking him on the jersey before he crossed home plate. Weedsport coach Bob Herrington argued the call to no avail.
With the Panthers trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Carmon reached on an error and Pitcher singled him over to third. After Leitten struck out Kevin Casler, Port Byron catcher Nick Janusz smoked a two-run double through the left side, tying the game 7-7.
Janusz advanced to third on a Tyler Quanbeck groundout and then Panthers coach Felix Mucedola went for some trickery. As Leitten started his delivery, Janusz took off for home and David squared around for the squeeze play. Janusz would have easily been safe but David popped the bunt up just enough for Weedsport's first baseman Jeff Bibbens to make a diving catch that saved a run and sent the game into extra frames.
The Warriors pulled a page from the Port Byron playbook in the top of the eighth. With a runner on third, Corey Hinman laid down a perfect bunt and squeezed home Bibbens to put Weedsport up 8-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, Leitten walked the leadoff batter, struck out the next and walked Zach Reyer to put runners on first and second with one out. Jefferds advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Mucedola used the squeeze play, successfully this time.
Carmon led the Port Byron offense with two hits and three RBIs while Jefferds went 2-for-2 and scored twice. David picked up the win.
The Warriors wasted a stellar day at the plate from Mike Coolbaugh. The senior shortstop went 3-for-4 and scored four runs. Leitten had two hits and two RBIs, and Adam Quigley, Justin Picciano and Joshua Fatcheric each had two hits. The Warriors out-hit the Panthers 13-9 but left nine runners on base.
Weedsport pitcher Bryce Leitten then lost his control. Leitten, who went the distance for the Warriors and pitched brilliantly for much of the game, hit a batter and walked in the game-winning run as the Panthers won, 9-8, and advanced to play Moravia in Saturday's championship game of the Cayuga County Tournament at 3 p.m. at Veteran's Park.
For much of the game, it looked like the Warriors would win easily. Port Byron fell behind 5-0 after two innings, and Leitten set down the first six Panthers in order.
Carmon put Port Byron on the scoreboard with a two-run single in the bottom of the third. The Panthers added another run in the fourth and two in the fifth to pull the score to 6-5.
Leitten gave the Warriors an insurance run in the sixth with an RBI single and then pitched his finest inning of the game. With Port Byron's Jefferds on second base, Leitten struck out two straight batters to get out of the jam. He finished with eight strikeouts on the game.
Weedsport threatened to add to its lead in the top of the seventh, but some heads-up defense by the Panthers saved them the game. The Warriors' Kevin Lynch laid down a bunt with Nicholas Topichak on third base. The ball rolled just onto the grass in front of home plate and Port Byron pitcher Mitch David snared the slow-roller and lunged at Topichak, just knicking him on the jersey before he crossed home plate. Weedsport coach Bob Herrington argued the call to no avail.
With the Panthers trailing 7-5 in the bottom of the seventh, Carmon reached on an error and Pitcher singled him over to third. After Leitten struck out Kevin Casler, Port Byron catcher Nick Janusz smoked a two-run double through the left side, tying the game 7-7.
Janusz advanced to third on a Tyler Quanbeck groundout and then Panthers coach Felix Mucedola went for some trickery. As Leitten started his delivery, Janusz took off for home and David squared around for the squeeze play. Janusz would have easily been safe but David popped the bunt up just enough for Weedsport's first baseman Jeff Bibbens to make a diving catch that saved a run and sent the game into extra frames.
The Warriors pulled a page from the Port Byron playbook in the top of the eighth. With a runner on third, Corey Hinman laid down a perfect bunt and squeezed home Bibbens to put Weedsport up 8-7.
In the bottom of the eighth, Leitten walked the leadoff batter, struck out the next and walked Zach Reyer to put runners on first and second with one out. Jefferds advanced to third on a wild pitch, and Mucedola used the squeeze play, successfully this time.
Carmon led the Port Byron offense with two hits and three RBIs while Jefferds went 2-for-2 and scored twice. David picked up the win.
The Warriors wasted a stellar day at the plate from Mike Coolbaugh. The senior shortstop went 3-for-4 and scored four runs. Leitten had two hits and two RBIs, and Adam Quigley, Justin Picciano and Joshua Fatcheric each had two hits. The Warriors out-hit the Panthers 13-9 but left nine runners on base.