SYRACUSE – For one set of Lakers to ascend to Section III Class B championship glory, it had to get through another set of Lakers.
Yet the championship that was supposed to finally land in Cazenovia instead went, again, to Skaneateles, who continued an unlikely post-season run from a no. 9 seed to prevail 7-5 in Monday’s sectional final at Onondaga Community College.
“We just believed in ourselves that we could do wonderful things,” said senior pitcher Scott Scherrer, who threw a complete game on just three days’ rest after he did the same to knock off unbeaten top seed South Jefferson in the quarterfinals.
This win culminated a remarkable turnaround. Skaneateles was 3-7 through 10 games before going on a 12-1 run culminating in this title game where the Lakers earned another sectional title to go with the ones it earned in 2019 and 2021.
“Even with the slow start to the season, we believed we would figure it out,” said head coach Tom Warner. “This team knows how to win big games.”
Thus, a sectional run with a tough road win at no. 8 seed Homer, the upset at South Jefferson and a 10-inning semifinal epic with Cortland had one more impressive chapter.
Cazenovia seemed to have several factors working in its favor. Not only had it won both regular-season meetings between the two Laker rivals, it had rolled through its semifinal 10-1 over defending champion Westhill as Skaneateles had to endure its long, emotional battle with Cortland.
However, Jack Donlin, who had won the first encounter with Skaneateles April 20, was a bit wild in the top of the first inning, hitting Carter Corbett and Casey Kenan and watching a throwing error bring home the game’s first run.
Cazenovia quickly tied it 1-1 in the bottom of the first with two singles, a passed ball and a Jacob Grevelding groundout, but Keelan Maren’s diving catch of a Donlin line drive prevented a bigger rally.
In the top of the third, Skaneateles seized control. Chad Lowe was hit, and raced to third on a groundout before scoring on Kenan’s single. Then Kenan stole second and raced home when Marren singled. With two out and a runner on second, Cal Anna singled down the line, making it 4-1.
More followed in the fifth, starting with a walk to Patrick Herr and an infield hit by Kenan. It continued when Marren’s sacrifice bunt and a bad throw turned into a run. Hugh Carroll followed with a perfect squeeze bunt that brought Kenan home.
Down 6-1, Cazenovia made up some ground in the bottom of the fifth, loading the bases with one out before Donlin hit a sacrifice and Grevelding hit an RBI single.
But Patrick Herr answered with an RBI single in the top of the sixth, making it 7-3, an extra cushion that would prove important.
Warner said that he never considered taking Scherrer out, and the pitcher said he still felt good despite the short rest and the warm conditions.
With one out and one on in the bottom of the seventh, Donlin tripled home Jack Byrnes, then scored on a wild pitch, cutting the Skaneateles lead in half.
Grevelding walked and Joey Awald singled to put the tying runs on base with two out, but Jacob Szalach hit to third, where Kenan ‘s force play ended it.
Skaneateles will go to Binghamton’s Mirabito Stadium and meet Section IV champion Lansing Saturday in the Class B regional final Saturday at 10 a.m., with a bid in the June 9-10 state final four at Union-Endicott High School at stake.
