H.S. BASEBALL: Chatham two wins away from a repeat

As difficult a task as it is, Chatham finds itself just two wins from accomplishing the feat. The Panthers (23-2) play Section V champion Batavia Notre Dame (23-1) in a state Class C semifinal on Friday at 2 p.m. at Maine-Endwell High School. Section III champion Little Falls takes on Section I’s Tuckahoe in the other semifinal on Friday at 5 p.m. at Maine-Endwell High School. The Class C championship game will be played on Saturday at 10 a.m. at Binghamton University.

Chatham coach Scott Steltz is proud that his team was able to shake off the pressure of being a state champion and have another successful year.

“Having the bull’s-eye on our back has actually been somewhat of a blessing,” Steltz said. “We embraced it, and Coach Doyle even made T-shirts with targets to teach the kids that it is a rare and awesome opportunity to be in this situation.

“Having this group of young men to do it with has been a blessing. These guys are more selfless and resilient than last year. No matter what happens. They have given our school and community a lot to be proud of.”

Winning another state championship is the ultimate goal, but Steltz admits the expectations have been a distraction.

“The talk about back to back state titles is actually frustrating at times,” Steltz admitted. “We know it is a awesome opportunity to even be in this position but the pressure that comes with that talk has sometimes want our kids down cause them to lose a little bit of fun throughout the season trying to meet that expectation.”

The Panthers have been an offensive juggernaut this season, scoring 334 runs and compiling a team batting average of .402.

“We have been blessed with some amazing athletes, but that just puts us in a position to win,” Steltz said. “It takes our entire team and program to win championships. This is where I feel like Chatham is able to separate itself sometimes because we have families and players that buy into our team culture and we do not have the selfishness And self glorification that some other programs have to deal with.”

The four players at the top of Chatham’s batting order are All-State caliber. Cam Horton leads the team with a .506 batting average (42 for 83). He’s belted three home runs and drive in 40 runs.

Tate Van Alstyne is hitting .488 (41 for 84) with six home runs and 35 RBI. Matt Thorsen is hitting .486 (35 for 72) with 16 home runs, 45 RBI and 31 stolen bases. Tyler Kneller is hitting .451 (37 for 82) with five home runs, 29 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

On the mound, Kneller is 8-0 with a 0.15 earned run average, striking out 79, walking 23 and allowing 22 runs and 11 hits in 44.1 innings. Thorsen is 7-0 with a 0.47 earned run average, striking out 81, walking 118 and allowing five runs and 17 hit sin 44 innings.

Friday’s opponent, Batavia Notre Dame, has been impressive in posting a 23-1 record. The Irish’s only loss came late in the season in a non-leaguer against Akron, 5-2, a game in which they started their No. 3 pitcher.

Like Chatham, the Batavia Notre Dame lineup is solid from 1-9, but unlike Chatham doesn’t have a lot of power. The Irish have hit just two home runs this season, but have a solid .338 team batting average.

Jay Antinore leads the Irish in hitting with a .432 average ((35 for 81) with 33 stolen bases. Bryceton Berry is hitting .430 (34 for 79) with 26 stolen bases, followed by Chase Cummings .327 (18 for 55), Chase Antinore .321 (18 for 56), Jaden Sherwood (24 for 76) and Jimmy Fanara .310 (18 for 58).

Chase Antinore and Jaden Sherwood have each hit a home run. Bryceton Berry leads the team in RBI with 33. Ryan Fitzpatrick has 22, Hayden Groff 21, Jaden Sherwood 19 and Jordan Welker 19.

The Batavia Notre Dame pitching staff is led by Berry, who is 8-0 with an 0.53 earned run average. He has 99 strikeouts and 13 walks, while allowing 25 hits and seven runs in 53 innings.

Ryan Fitzpatrick is 7-1 with an 1.01 ERA, striking out 65, walking eight and allowing 10 runs and 23 hits in 35 innings. Jaden Sherwood is 5-0 with a 1.18 ERA, striking out 71, walking 10 and allowing 12 runs and 19 hits in 35 innings.

“Our coaching staff thinks that we need to get ahead early in counts, be aggressive in the strike zone, communicate, relax and play good defense,” Steltz said. “If we can do those things, I’ll put ourselves in a position to win most games. However, it is baseball and strange things happen that change outcomes.”

Steltz hopes to send the seniors out with another state title, but is extremely proud of the team for all it’s accomplished already.

“No matter what happens, these guys are already champions on and off the field,” Steltz said. “The way they carry themselves and interact in our community separates them from the every day teams.

“The one thing I have been thinking about this past week is the legacy they are leaving. They have shown and taught the younger players how it should be. Hopefully, their work ethic, culture and love of the game will be passed down to the next generation, and we can continue that success.”

A capsule look at the other Class C semifinalists:

LITTLE FALLS

Nickname: Mounties

Record: 20-3

Road to the Final Four: defeated Bishop Ludden, 7-1, to win Section III title; defeated Watkins Glen/Odessa Montour, 4-1, in state regional final.

Key players: Brayton Langdon, Sam Phillips, Dominick Izzo, Chase Regan, Jack Morotti.

TUCKAHOE

Nickname: Tigers

Record: 15-9

Road to the Final Four: defeated Burke Catholic, 11-0, to win Section I title; defeated Port Jefferson, 8-7 in state regional final.

Key players: Michael Annunziatta, Jackson Snyder, Jacob Liberati, Jax Colacicco, Connor Benke.