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CHATHAM WINS BASEBALL THRILLER OVER HUDSON
Greg Dedrick
ccSCOOP Sports Editor
05-02-09 - The Bluehawks visited Chatham on Wednesday for another classic Hudson–Chatham matchup, and this game was no disappointment—at least for the Panther fans. Future Siena Saint Justin Brantley toed the rubber for the Bluehawks, squaring off with Union-bound Cody Portin for Chatham as the two teams matched up their top arms. Hudson came into the game with just one league loss, while the Panthers came in undefeated, tied atop the Patroon Conference.
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Hudson jumped out to an early lead with 3 runs in the top of the second, when Brandon Williams, Jordan Smith, and Jon Carpenito scored for the Bluehawks. Chatham bounced back for 2 in the bottom of the second on a walk to Mike Sirani, followed by a single to right field by Portin to help his own cause. Matt Fischer followed with an infield single to score Sirani and Parker Niles hit a sacrifice fly to center to score Portin.
The Bluehawks added 2 more in the top of the third on a double off the left field fence by Talib Barksdale, an RBI single by Williams, and a RBI single to left by Carpenito. Hudson blew the game open in the top of the sixth when they scored 4 more runs to stretch it to 9-2.
Although Chatham got one back in the bottom of the sixth to make it 9-3, the game seemed out of reach with Brantley cruising on the mound and the normally powerful Panther bats silenced, at least to a point.
Joe Cozzolino led off the bottom of the seventh with a single, and Ryen Boehme popped out to second to start the second run. Cole Gleason drew a walk before Jordan and Mike Sirani followed with back-to-back singles to chase Brantley from the game with the score at 9-5. Brandon Williams relieved, and Cody Portin hit an 0-1 pitch for a 2 RBI single to make it 9-7. Matt Fischer singled, and Parker Niles walked on four pitches to load the bases. |
Brian Gauthier came to the plate as one of the top bats, if not the top bat, in the Panther lineup, despite the tough day he’d had at the plate so far. Gauthier laced a 1-2 pitch past the third baseman and into the corner for a game-winning, three-RBI, bases-clearing double and an unbelievable 10-9 come-from-behind win for the Panthers.
Justin Brantley went six and a third innings for the Bluehawks, allowing 5 hits, 7 runs, 7 walks, 1 HBP, and striking out 13. Williams picked up the loss facing 4 batters and retiring none, allowing 3 runs on a walk and 3 hits. For Chatham, Cody Portin went five plus, allowing 7 runs on 10 hits while striking out 2 and walking 3. Matt Fischer picked up the win (3-0) in relief going two innings, striking out 3, walking 2, and allowing 3 hits and a run. |
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Offensively for the Bluehawks Mike Rigos was 3 for 5, Brandon Williams was 2 for 4, Jon Carpenito was 3 for 4 and Alex Ebel was 2 for 4. For the Panthers, Cody Portin led the way going 3 for 4 with 2 runs and 2 RBIs. Matt Fischer was 2 for 4, and Brian Gauthier was 1 for 5 with the three-RBI, game-winning double.
"Picking up a win over Hudson is always huge, but doing it in this fashion was awesome. It was a complete team effort," said Chatham coach Scott Steltz via email. "Brantley pitched well keeping us off-balance all day. Our approach going in was to have good at-bats by being selective and to keep battling. We had a lot of at-bats that—although they ended up outs—were quality at-bats because we fought off good pitches and made him throw seven or more pitches in an at-bat. . . . We kept battling all day throughout our entire lineup, and it finally paid off when Brantley's pitch count got up there and he had to leave the game.
"I couldn't be prouder,” Steltz continued, “of how we fought back in that situation and took advantage of the opportunity to get back in it. We played solid defense behind Cody and Matt, turning key double plays, and Evan Young had a highlight real diving stop on a ground ball up the middle to take away a hit and RBI from Barksdale. Mike Rigos also flashed the leather in centerfield for the Bluehawks taking away a sure double off the bat of Joe Cozzolino."
The two teams are set to square off again on Thursday in what should be another good one when Chatham travels to Hudson to take on the Bluehawks at the Greenport Town Park.
Hudson record is 8-2 overall. Chatham record is 11-1 overall and 9-0 in league.
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