by Braylon Noble
SYRACUSE – For players and fans of Westhill baseball, a beautiful first Saturday in June will be remembered as the day it hung a 10-9 victory over Section IV’s Oneonta in the Class B regional final at Onondaga Community College.
What started, briefly, as a pitching duel in the first two innings quickly turned into a heated back-and-forth exchange between the Warriors and Yellowjackets.
Westhill would start sophomore pitcher Ryan Campbell, who would look strong in the first inning making quick work of the side and striking them out in order. On the other side, Oneonta’s Seamus Catella struggled a bit in the first, loading the bases after walking sophomore Taden Chester with two outs, but Catella would find a way to escape the first without giving up a run.
The game would take a more exciting turn in the bottom of the third when the Warriors turned it on at the plate. All told, Wesethill got five runs, highlighted by a three-run double from junior Brady Richardson after he doubled straight down the left field line.
In the top of the fourth, Oneonta would start to push back against Ryan Campbell, scoring two runs driven in by Aiden Gelbsman. Against reliever Cam Horth in the bottom of the fourth, the Warriors would knock on the door as Tyler Campbell doubled Austin Townley to third, but both were stranded.
The fifth inning would prove to be the most exciting inning of the contest as both teams would score multiple runs. Tyler Campbell relieved his brother, but a few wild pitches and deep hits (including a triple by Gelbsman) would allow the Yellowjackets to score six runs and grab an 8-5 lead.
Westhill would answer in the bottom of the inning putting up four runs of their own including Aiden Kerr driving in Dom Zawadski, and Ryan Campbell doubling home two more. Oneonta tied it, 9-9, in the top of the sixth, but in the bottom of the sixth the Warriors reclaimed the lead on Anthony Sampo’s RBI single.
The game would come down to the top of the seventh as Oneonta would have one more shot to take the lead. Mike Madigan relieved Tyler Campbell, and the tying and go-ahead runs would get on base for the Yellowjackets, but Madigan sealed the game on a pop fly from Louie Bonnki that would be caught in foul territory.
Back in the state final four again, Westhill, In Friday’s state semifinal at 2 p.m. at Maine-Endwell High School,faces Section II’s Schuylerville, the winner to go to the final Saturday at 10 a.m. at Binghamton University against Spackenkill or Palmyra-Macedon.
