The Whitesboro Warriors traveled to Murnane Field this afternoon for a non-league baseball season opening tilt with the Proctor Raiders. With temperatures in the 70's, two of the area's premier pitchers, M.J. Hajec of Whitesboro and Steve Sarcone of Proctor, locked up in a nip and tuck battle that went all the way to the wire.
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Junior catcher Dylan Gorski stroked a one out single in the top of the seventh (his second of the game). Sophomore Adam Pexton was called on to pinch run for Gorski with the game tied 2-2 and following an intentional walk to Mike Sullivan and then a botched pick-off attempt to get Sullivan at first, the Warriors had runners at second and third.
(MJ Hajec delivers a second inning pitch.)
Four pitches later Steve Sarcone's curve ball to Whitesboro batter Vinny Barbato hit the dirt and got past catcher Mike Obernesser and Pexton raced home for what would be the winning run for the Warriors.
Neither pitcher allowed a hit over the first two innings of the ballgame. In fact, MJ Hajec set down three Raiders batters on just 4 pitches in the bottom of the second.
The Warriors rallied behind their senior pitcher's effort and got themselves on the scoreboard in the top of the third. Dylan Gorski led off with a single, followed by a perfect sacrifice bunt by Dan Russo to move Gorski to second.
With one out, shortstop Mike Sullivan drilled a single to put runners at the corners. Sarcone settled in and struck out Vinny Barbato for the second out.
(Proctor ace Steve Sarcone delivers a second inning pitch.)
After Sullivan stole second, Matt Cornmire stepped in and drove a single to left center, scoring Gorski and Sullivan to give the visitors a 2-0 lead, which is the way we'd go to the home half of the third.
It was all Hajec in the bottom of the third as well. After a leadoff single by Ryan Alesandro, Nick Raymer hit into a fielder's choice and after being thrown out at first, Warriors first baseman Ryan Watson alertly fired to second and Mike Sullivan tagged Morrelles off the bag for a double play.
Hajec then struck out Dan Priore to end the inning.
After a scoreless fourth and top half of the fifth, where Hajec and Sarcone both found their respective grooves, the Raiders finally broke through in the home half of the fifth.
(Proctor's Dan Priore (2) lays down a perfect SAC bunt in the 5th inning.)
Ismail Morelles and pinch runner Dave Diodati scored for the raiders off an RBI single by Nick Raymer and a sacrafice fly by Dan Priore to tie things up at 2-2. Raymer was caught stealing to end the inning.
Despite a relatively high early season pitch count, Sarcone took the hill again in the top of the sixth and got three quick outs, including a nifty pick-off of pinch runner Connor Passalaqua at second base.
Junior lefty Matt Engler took over for Hajec in the bottom of the sixth and set the Raiders down 1-2-3.
With the score tied at 2-2, Gorski's key one out base hit set up the managerial chess match between Whitesboro's Bill Decoursey and Proctor's Dave Guido. Guido opted to intentionally walk Sullivan to set up a potential double play.
That move backfired when the tiring Sarcone's pick off attempt of Sullivan sailed past first baseman Ryan Donovan, sending Sullivan to second and pinch runner Pexton to third with one away.
(Whitesboro's Matt Cornmire (12) slides under the tag of Proctor's Cesar Pujals (3) during a first inning steal attempt.)
Vinny Barbato had a lengthy at bat for the Warriors, which resulted in a past ball, scoring Pexton to put the Warriors up 3-2, which is the way we'd go to the bottom of the 7th.
Ryan Donovan singled to get Proctor started in the home half of the 7th. Mike Obernesser then drew a walk to put runners at first and second with nobody out. Senior Ryan Beck was summoned by Coach Guido to bunt the runners over.
Engler kept Beck off balance on each attempt and got him to pop out to the infield for the first out. Junior Gary McConnel; was then called upon to pinch hit, but Engler got him to pop out to shortstop Sullivan for out number two.
Engler then reared back and struck out Nick Raymer to end the game and pick up the win for the Warriors.
Following the game, Whitesboro Head Coach Bill DeCoursey, who enters his 17th season at the reigns of the Warriors, was proud of his team's effort. "We've got a deep and solid pitching staff and that showed nicely with MJ and Matt out there today," he said, adding, "I'm pleased with our effort today, its a good win."
(Whitesboro's Mike Sullivan slides safely into third under the tag of Proctor third baseman Nick Raymer.)
For M.J. Hajec, the taste of victory over AA Proctor may have been a little sweeter. Hajec is coming off a bout with tendonitis in his pitching arm, followed by a torn ACL last summer.
Following surgery on his knee and extensive physical threrapy, Hajec is back and ready to roll as a co-captain along with junior Mike Sullivan and senior Vinny Barbato.
"I couldn't be happier, I feel like I'm back to 100% physically. I spotted my pitches well today and I know every time I take the mound my teammates have my back out there," Hajec said, adding, That was a good win over a good team and we should definitely build on it going forward."
For junior Mike Sullivan, the Warriors confidence paid off. "We couldn't wait to play this game. We read about how good Steve Sarcone was and we hoped he pitched today. He did and we beat him," Sullivan said. "We have a lot of confidence on this team and if we can play together day in and day out we're going to be very tough to beat," he added.
The Warriors open Tri-Valley League play next Tuesday at home against Oneida. Proctor returns to action this Friday with a league contest at Fayetville-Manlius.
Whitesboro 3 Proctor 2
Box Score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Whitesboro 0 0 2 0 0 0 1 3 7 4
Proctor 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 2 4 0
Team Leaders:
Whitesboro
Dylan Gorski 2 Singles, Run Scored
Matt Cornmire Single, 2 RBI, Stolen Base
Mike Sullivan 2 Singles, 3 Stolen Bases, Run Scored
MJ Hajec 5 Innings pitched, 3 k's, 1 earned run
Matt Engler Double, 2 innings pitched, 2 k's, 0 runs.
Proctor
Steve Sarcone 7 Innings pitched, 9 strikeouts, 2 earned runs, 2 walks.
Nick Raymer Single, RBI
Mike Obernesser Single, Run Scored
