Whether the margin was a single run or something far more, the Cazenovia and Chittenango baseball teams saw their respective seasons end in Monday’s opening round of the Section III Class B playoffs.
Due to the open tournament format, 26 teams were in the field, with the Bears the no. 21 seed and the Lakers as the no. 25 seed, and they had vastly different experiences.
Chittenango nearly got past no. 12 seed Canastota, only to be stopped one out short of victory in a 3-2 defeat to the Raiders.
The two sides traded runs in the third inning. Then Chittenango went out in front again, 2-1, in the sixth, having seen Devon Spaulding and Joe Mosack both get a pair of hits.
Trying to preserve that slim advantage, Spaulding pitched into the seventh, having allowed just three hits and five walks while recording five strikeouts as the Raiders’ Sam Evans kept it close with his solid pitching.
When Canastota threatened in the bottom of the seventh, Nick Callahan relieved Spaulding. Callahan got an out, but on the brink of a win, Callahan allowed the Raiders’ Matt DiGeorge to double home the tying and winning runs.
Contrasting this drama was Cazenovia getting thrown at no. 8 seed and defending champion Oneida in its sectional opener, and it never was close as the Lakers fell to the Indians 18-1.
Oneida advanced to face Watertown IHC in the round of 16, while Canastota would visit no. 5 seed Westhill in that same round.
