LOCAL ROUNDUP: Sixth-inning rally gives TH Section 2 South AAA title

Taconic Hills swept the best-of-three series, 2-0, winning the first game, 14-3, on Monday.

Taconic Hills fell behind 1-0 in the first and trailed throughout, thanks in large part to the pitching performance of Bryce Apa and a stellar defensive effort by Coxsackie-Athens.

C-A’s lead grew to 5-0 when Apa launched a grand slam in the bottom of the fifth.

Apa reached his pitch limit in the sixth and Taconic Hills took full advantage, greeting a pair of C-A relievers with seven hits and plating eight runs to take the lead.

Reliever Aiden Buchinsky pitched a scoreless bottom of the sixth to wrap up Taconic Hills’ come-from-behind victory and the Section 2 South championship.

Jesus Mercado had a pair of singles and two RBI for Taconic Hills. Henry Semp added two singles, Tristan Super doubled and drove in two runs, Spencer Harrington, Hunter Nielsen, Brayden Jause and Buchinsky all singled and drove in a run and Jackson Arp singled.

Taconic Hills starting pitcher Tristan Super was dominant in his four-inning stint on the mound, striking out 12 while allowing just one run and three hits. Buchinsky threw two innings of relief and earned the win, striking out four.

In three games C-A played against Taconic Hills in the AAA Tournament, Apa allowed just two earnd runs with 15 strikeouts in 11 innings and had a grand slam and five RBI.

CJ Van Alphen had nine strikeouts in five innings and had a home run, double and two RBI. Nico Galante collected a total of eight hits over the three games.

Coxsackie-Athens head coach Derek Apa was proud of his team and congratulated Taconic Hills on winning the title.

“These young athletes dug in yesterday,” Apa said. “Our first game (July 20), players like Wyatt Ferrier, Nico Galante and CJ VanAlphen made big plays behind Bryce Apa on the mound and it was down to the wire.

“In game two (Monday), Taconic Hills just kept hitting the ball where we couldn’t get to it and took advantage of their time on the bases. They played small ball and chipped away at us. CJ pitched his heart out and never gave up.

“In game three, Cam Bradt and Colby Farrel made big plays in the outfield, Bryce pitched a great game and came through with a giant at-bat, sitting on a two-strike count. Kyle Scott was my sure go-to for the close. I thought about it over and over and I wouldn’t have done anything differently.

“Taconic Hills is a great team with some A+ kids that don’t know how to quit. I’d take my team and play them 10 more times in a game like Wednesday’s. That’s great baseball.”

TRAVEL BASEBALL

Stampede 15U 8

Outlaws 15U 2

The Saratoga Stampede Red 15U pulled away from a close game with five runs in the top of the seventh inning to defeat the Greene County Outlaws 15U, 8-2, in Wednesday’s travel baseball game.

Jesse Mullis led the Stampede with a double and single and two RBI. Ben McKinley added two singles and an RBI and Tad D’Andrea had two singles.

Nathan Van Alphen had a single and two RBI for the Outlaws. Sean scott and Miguel Madera both singled.

Louis Betit, Carter Vaughn and Matt Heggen all pitched for Saratoga, combining for 16 strikeouts and six walks whiel allowing two runs an three hits.

Brodie Montgomery, Christian Tedford and Brady Penet shared mound duties for the Outlaws, allowing eight runs and 13 hits with 10 strikeouts and four walks.

Dodgers 10U 16

Clippers 10U 8

The South Troy Dodgers 10U used a 13-run fourth inning to earn a 16-8 victory over the Columbia Clippers 10U in Wednesday’ travel baseball game.

The Clippers built a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the fourth, but the Dodgers uprising put them on top for good.

Evan Conte led the Clippers with a double, single and an RBI. Logan Burleigh added a single and an RBI, Amarion Perry and Ty Garson singled and Mason Briscoe, Tanner Kelly and Ethan Brennan all drove in a run.

Conte, Keegan Mullins, Jayden Brantley, Braeden Barnes, Perry and Garson all pitched for the Clippers, striking out three, walking nine and allowing 16 runs and nine hits.