For its last week of regular-season work, the Fayetteville-Manlius baseball team had an odd mixture of opponents and intentions, but it all seemed to work out as it went 3-0.
The Hornets’ week began with a non-league game against DeRuyter, a 20-2 rout where F-M, already ahead 4-0, put the game away with 13 runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Mike Monashefsky and Mike Hoalcraft, in particular, had a big day. Twice, Monashefsky went deep for home runs and amassed seven RBIs, while Hoalcraft also went deep, adding a double, two singles and career-best six RBIs.
Seth Pedersen added two hits and drove in a pair of runs. Jack McClure pitched five innings for the win, allowing just one hit and striking out seven before Pedersen relieved him.
Zach Tucker took his last regular-season turn on the mound on Thursday, against Central Square, and again was brilliant in a 3-0 shutout of the Red Hawks.
Central Square managed just two hits against Tucker, who bounced back from his May 10 non-decision against Baldwinsville to get 10 strikeouts in this outing.
All of F-M’s runs came in the second and third innings against Red Hawks pitcher Kaleb Dorr. Dave Nuzzo doubled twice and earned an RBI, while Mike Perry smashed a solo home run.
On Friday, the Hornets faced West Genesee, making up the rainout from an April 28 tournament in Camillus, and F-M beat the Wildcats for the second time this season in a 3-2 decision.
After an exchange of third-inning runs, F-M scored twice in the top of the fourth. Perry kept getting on base as he singled three times, drew a walk, scored a run and added an RBI, while J.P. Quinn also had three hits and Hoalcraft had an RBI.
Matt Godleski protected that 3-1 lead until the bottom of the seventh. WG cut the margin to one and had the tying run on base, but Godleski recorded the final out as he held the Wildcats to five hits overall.
As it turned out, though, F-M (15-4) would have to face West Genesee one more time. With the no. 4 seed in the Section III Class AA playoffs, the Hornets must get past the no. 5 seed Wildcats in Thursday’s quarterfinal round. The semifinals are Saturday and the title game is May 30 at Alliance Bank Stadium.
