AUBURN - With the game already in hand, Lansing's No. 5 hitter, Brian Milliman rounded third to score the third run of the inning. But even though Ithaca third baseman Tim Bilinski made the timely throw to Tom Lloyd behind the plate well in advance of Milliman's arrival, he didn't relent.
Sam Tenney / The Citizen
Auburn sophomore Steve Komanecky delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Maroons' 5-2 loss to Mexico at Falcon Park Friday afternoon. Komanecky pitched four complete innings, striking out four batters and giving up six hits.
Auburn sophomore Steve Komanecky delivers a pitch during the first inning of the Maroons' 5-2 loss to Mexico at Falcon Park Friday afternoon. Komanecky pitched four complete innings, striking out four batters and giving up six hits.
Instead of cutting back to third or trying to juke past Lloyd, Milliman decided to bulldoze through him several feet in front of the plate, putting his head down like a fullback going in for a short yardage touchdown.
It didn't work, as it was the final out of the sixth inning, but it was indicative of the Bobcats so far this season, who have pounded their way through most of their opponents.
After a big win over Auburn in the first round Thursday, the Bobcats defeated the Bombers 8-4 to earn the Auburn Baseball Tournament championship Friday.
Lansing scored three runs each in the first and third, while adding two more in the sixth to take the win. Ithaca jumped ahead briefly after tallying all of its runs in the third. The Bobcats racked up nine hits and scored many of their runs on three early Ithaca errors. Teagen Barresi and Milliman led Lansing with two hits each, and Barresi also had an RBI.
In the consolation game, Auburn put together a few great innings, but four errors and some tough Mexico pitching gave the Tigers a 5-2 win. Mexico lost 7-5 to Ithaca in the first round.
“I was happy with the way we showed up today,” Tigers coach Brian Delola said. “After losing in the first game, we would have hated leaving here with two losses, so it put a little added pressure in us to do well.”
Despite emerging as one of Section III, Class A's best teams so far this season, Mexico was kept quiet for the first couple of innings. Maroons pitcher Steve Komanecky threw a strong four innings, with four strikeouts and six hits allowed. A throwing error led to the Tigers first run, an Evan Oustrich RBI double in the third and Justin Buckley scored on another Maroons' error, this time fielding, to make it 2-0 in the fourth.
Buckley put together five strong innings from the mound for the Tigers, as well. He allowed two of five hits in the fifth, when the Maroons scored twice on consecutive RBIs from Nick Ventura and Ed Charles.
“I was counting on our senior pitcher to come out and give us a good start,” Delola said. “That's been the key for us, to get off to a good start and when we do, we settle down and play fine. We were then able to scratch out a few runs early and we ended up playing a good baseball game against a good Auburn team.”
The Maroons managed just two hits against Tigers reliever Dave Kinney, but they had ample opportunity to score more runs. Auburn left 10 runners on the bags, including a bases loaded situation with one out in the seventh. Eric Conway and Noah Donch struck out swinging to end the game.
“I'm not disappointed by any means at how competitive we are, but I am disappointed that our offense is getting into some bad habits,” Auburn coach T.J. Gamba said. “We were in a hole offensively that we shouldn't have been in, but we're swinging at too many balls. We need to recognize it and hopefully we'll transfer it to the right side of the game.”
Kinney finished with five strikeouts, after fanning the side in the sixth.
“I'm so proud of Dave,” Delola said. “He's one of those kids that has the potential to be a great pitcher. For him to put together two clutch innings like that was really great.”
Kody O'Connor powered the Tigers' offense with three hits and an RBI in the fifth. O'Connor led Section III in home runs last season and is the leader in the section so far this year with six, but the highly touted catcher wasn't able to get more than a single out of the Maroons.
“Pitchers bear down on him now, he doesn't surprise anyone anymore,” Delola said of his best hitter. “Coach Gamba knew about him and they pitched him pretty smart today, even though he had a couple of nice drives.”
Buckley added another RBI single in the fifth and Jake Reitmeir brought in Kinney in the seventh for the game's final run. The win boosts the Tigers to 5-3 on the season, while the Maroons (4-4) end their week with their first two-game losing streak of the season. They host Cicero-North Syracuse Monday.
“I knew it would take one of our very best efforts to beat a team like Auburn, and it was one of those days where we got it,” Delola said. “Hopefully it will build some momentum going into our league games.”
“We did a lot of nice things today,” Gamba added. “But the errors have been our Achilles heel - we don't have natural outfielders here. But just by playing the game that's presented to us, we can be competitive. I'd be really concerned if I thought the wheels were falling off, but we're no where near that point.”
It didn't work, as it was the final out of the sixth inning, but it was indicative of the Bobcats so far this season, who have pounded their way through most of their opponents.
After a big win over Auburn in the first round Thursday, the Bobcats defeated the Bombers 8-4 to earn the Auburn Baseball Tournament championship Friday.
Lansing scored three runs each in the first and third, while adding two more in the sixth to take the win. Ithaca jumped ahead briefly after tallying all of its runs in the third. The Bobcats racked up nine hits and scored many of their runs on three early Ithaca errors. Teagen Barresi and Milliman led Lansing with two hits each, and Barresi also had an RBI.
In the consolation game, Auburn put together a few great innings, but four errors and some tough Mexico pitching gave the Tigers a 5-2 win. Mexico lost 7-5 to Ithaca in the first round.
“I was happy with the way we showed up today,” Tigers coach Brian Delola said. “After losing in the first game, we would have hated leaving here with two losses, so it put a little added pressure in us to do well.”
Despite emerging as one of Section III, Class A's best teams so far this season, Mexico was kept quiet for the first couple of innings. Maroons pitcher Steve Komanecky threw a strong four innings, with four strikeouts and six hits allowed. A throwing error led to the Tigers first run, an Evan Oustrich RBI double in the third and Justin Buckley scored on another Maroons' error, this time fielding, to make it 2-0 in the fourth.
Buckley put together five strong innings from the mound for the Tigers, as well. He allowed two of five hits in the fifth, when the Maroons scored twice on consecutive RBIs from Nick Ventura and Ed Charles.
“I was counting on our senior pitcher to come out and give us a good start,” Delola said. “That's been the key for us, to get off to a good start and when we do, we settle down and play fine. We were then able to scratch out a few runs early and we ended up playing a good baseball game against a good Auburn team.”
The Maroons managed just two hits against Tigers reliever Dave Kinney, but they had ample opportunity to score more runs. Auburn left 10 runners on the bags, including a bases loaded situation with one out in the seventh. Eric Conway and Noah Donch struck out swinging to end the game.
“I'm not disappointed by any means at how competitive we are, but I am disappointed that our offense is getting into some bad habits,” Auburn coach T.J. Gamba said. “We were in a hole offensively that we shouldn't have been in, but we're swinging at too many balls. We need to recognize it and hopefully we'll transfer it to the right side of the game.”
Kinney finished with five strikeouts, after fanning the side in the sixth.
“I'm so proud of Dave,” Delola said. “He's one of those kids that has the potential to be a great pitcher. For him to put together two clutch innings like that was really great.”
Kody O'Connor powered the Tigers' offense with three hits and an RBI in the fifth. O'Connor led Section III in home runs last season and is the leader in the section so far this year with six, but the highly touted catcher wasn't able to get more than a single out of the Maroons.
“Pitchers bear down on him now, he doesn't surprise anyone anymore,” Delola said of his best hitter. “Coach Gamba knew about him and they pitched him pretty smart today, even though he had a couple of nice drives.”
Buckley added another RBI single in the fifth and Jake Reitmeir brought in Kinney in the seventh for the game's final run. The win boosts the Tigers to 5-3 on the season, while the Maroons (4-4) end their week with their first two-game losing streak of the season. They host Cicero-North Syracuse Monday.
“I knew it would take one of our very best efforts to beat a team like Auburn, and it was one of those days where we got it,” Delola said. “Hopefully it will build some momentum going into our league games.”
“We did a lot of nice things today,” Gamba added. “But the errors have been our Achilles heel - we don't have natural outfielders here. But just by playing the game that's presented to us, we can be competitive. I'd be really concerned if I thought the wheels were falling off, but we're no where near that point.”
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