The Whitesboro Warriors and Oneida Indians opened Tri-Valley League baseball play today in Whitesboro. MJ Hajec took the hill for the home club and Nate Mallinder got the nod for the Indians. This was a big early season test for two solid programs looking to make some noise in 2010. When the dust settled the visitors had a happy ride home and a 6-5 win.
Oneida got on the board quickly in the top half of the first when Mallinder opened the game with a leadoff double to right field. Mallinder moved to third when teammate Evan Watson bunted for a single.
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Watson alertly scampered to second base when Whitesboro's infielders were covering the corners for the bunt, leaving second base exposed.
After a ground ball out by Brian Chevier, Oneida's Andrew Hornyak hit a chopper to third which seemed to handcuff Whitesboro's Vin Barbato, allowing Mallinder to score.
(Oneida's Nate Mallinder (14) unloads on a first inning double.)
Barbato recovered and threw Hornyak out at first, but the Indians scored their second run on the play when Whitesboro first baseman Ryan Watson overthrew third base trying to get Evan Watson, who took off for third on Barbato's throw to first. Hajec struck out Mitch Dubois to end the top of the first. 
Trailing 2-0 Whitesboro loaded the bases with their first three batters in the home half of the first. Mike Sullivan drew a leadoff walk, Barbato was hit by a pitch and Matt Cornmire reached on a throwing error by Oneida shortstop Brian Chevier. Nate Mallinder dug in deep at that point and sat the next three Warriors down in order, stifling a bases loaded nobody out threat.
The Indians tacked on two more runs in the top of the 2nd. Brian Sheridan started things rolling with a one out double to left field. Jordan Koons then stepped in, singled to left, scoring Sheridan from second. Koons moved to second when Whitesboro outfielder Dan Russo threw to home trying to stop Sheridan from scoring.
(Oneida's Bryan Sheridan (24) slides safely into home as Whitesboro catcher Dylan Gorski (10) fields a throw from the outfield.)
Kyle Armstrong then drew a walk and Koons moved to third on a wild pitch. Mallinder stepped in next and rapped a single to left scoring Koons to give Oneida a 4-0 lead. Hajec settled in and struck out two of the next three Indians to stop the bleeding. Brendan Heitz drew a leadoff walk to start the second inning and later scored on a sacrafice fly by Dan Russo to pull Whitesboro within 4-1 after two innings.
After a scoreless third inning, Oneida made it 6-1 in the top of the fourth. Kyle Armstrong reached base on an infield error and Nate Mallinder stepped up again and cracked his second RBI double of the game to score Armstrong and give the Indians a runner in scoring position with nobody out.
Two batters later, Brian Chevier doubled home Mallinder to give Oneida a five run advantage. Junior right hander Ron Adamczyk relieved Hajec and set down the next two Indians in order to end the inning.
(Whitesboro's Brendan Heitz (4) uncorks a seventh inning single.)
Adamczyk's quick work of the last two Indians hitters in the fourth sparked a rally in the home half of the fourth. Ryan Shene relieved Mallinder on the mound for Oneida. Mike Ryan led off by reaching first on an error.
Junior Brendan Heitz then pounded a towering homerun over the right field fence to close the gap to 6-3 with nobody out. Two hitters later, Dan Russo singled and quickly stole second base. Mike Sullivan drew a walk and Russo then reached third base on a passed ball.
Vin Barbato's ground ball to shortstop was bobbled, allowing Russo to score to make it 6-4 with two out. Consecutive walks to Matt Cornmire and Ryan Watson loaded the bases with Warriors. Matt Engler's ground ball to shortstop ended the inning with the the score 6-4 in favor of the visitors.
The Indians went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth as Ron Adamczyk mixed a sharp curve with an accurate fastball to keep the Indians at bay. Whitesboro managed two more baserunners in the bottom of the fifth, but they left them stranded, raising their game total to 9 runners stranded thru 5 innings.
(Oneida 2nd baseman Brian Chevier (15) locks in on a 4th inning fly ball.) Adamczyk stayed perfect in the top of the 6th, striking out Nate Mallinder and getting Kyle Armstrong and Ryan Shene to pop out.
Kyle Armstrong took over for Shene on the mound for Oneida in the home half of the sixth inning and for the second time today Vin Barbato was hit by a pitch.
Barbato quickly stole second on the next pitch and advanced to third on a fielder's choice. Ryan Watson stepped in and stroked an RBI single to score Barbato and pull Whitesboro to within 6-5. Mike Ryan flied out to right with two away to end the Warriors threat.
After a scoreless top of the seventh, Brendan Heitz delivered his second hit of the game to put the tying run at first with nobody out.
Three batters and two outs later, Mike Sullivan was hit by a pitch and Whitesboro had runners at first and second with two away.
Vin Barbato hit a sharp grounder to shortstop and though the throw pulled Oneida first baseman andrew Hornyak off the bag, he reached back and tagged Barbato just before he hit the base, ending the game.
Nate Mallinder picked up the win for the Indians (1-0, 1-0), while MJ Hajec suffered the loss for the Warriors (0-1, 1-1).
Mallinder also led the Indians offensively going 3-4 with 2 doubles, 1 single, 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. Brendan Heitz paced the Warriors at the plate, going 2 for 2 with a single, a homerun, 2 RBI, 2 stolen bases, a run scored and 2 walks.
Whitesboro looks to get back into the win column on Thursday when they travel North to take on the Golden Knights of Holland Patent. Oneida will seek to keep things going when they travel to New Hartford.
Oneida 6 Whitesboro 5
Box Score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Oneida 2 2 0 2 0 0 0 6 9 1
Whitesboro 0 1 0 3 0 1 0 5 5 3
