Having won two of its previous three games, the Cazenovia baseball team made a frantic last push to sneak into the Section III Class B playoffs. At least two wins were needed in the Lakers’ three games to have a chance.
Hosting Hannibal last Monday afternoon, the Lakers again came out on top, using steady production to put together a 10-4 victory over the Warriors.
Down 1-0 going into the bottom of the second inning, Cazenovia struck for five runs. When Hannibal scored three times in the top of the third to close within 5-4, the Lakers responded by scoring in each of the next four innings to get away.
All nine of Cazenovia’s starters scored a run before it was over. Forest Blanchard had three hits and three RBIs, while Zach Golden also got three hits and drove in two runs. Brian Gara and Jack Malmsheimer matched Golden’s two-RBI output as Zach Bonavita also earned an RBI. Gara also pitched, earning six strikeouts in his complete-game effort.
Now Cazenovia traveled to Skaneateles Wednesday afternoon, where those other Lakers prevailed 10-2.
Though Cazenovia scored, Skaneateles pulled ahead by getting four runs off Max Kellish in the bottom of the third, adding three runs an inning later. Forest Blanchard got credit for an RBI as Kellish got two hits and scored a run. Golden also scored as Zach Augustine gave Skaneateles a home run, three RBIs and three runs scored.
So Cazenovia needed to win Friday’s regular-season finale, at Phoenix. And despite a shaky start, the Lakers got the runs it needed in the late going and beat the Firebirds 7-1.
After scoring in the first inning, Cazenovia went quiet against Phoenix pitcher Jared Kempston as the Firebirds tied it, 1-1, in the bottom of the fourth.
The Lakers stayed patient – and in the top of the fifth, it finally got to Kempston for two runs. Then Cazenovia put it away against reliever Kyle Himes with four runs in the sixth.
Blanchard, Kellish, Gara, Jordan Demo and Tyler Slocum each drove in runs, as Kellish helped out with a pair of walks. On the mound, Gara stayed in control, overcoming four walks to limit Phoenix to three hits, striking out four.
Despite all this, when the Class B playoff brackets were announced on Sunday, the Lakers had not made the 15-team field, just a win or two short of continuing to play deeper into May.
