Marauders’ bats come alive late in sectional victory

Baseball

S-E 2, Holland Patent 1

SHERBURNE – Patience paid off for Sherburne-Earlville, who advanced in the Section III Class B playoffs with a win at home Thursday.

The Marauders loaded the bases in the sixth inning, and Dustin Brooks hit a single to left field for the tying and go-ahead runs. S-E (7-8) threatened several times in the contest, and twice had runners cut down by good outfield throws. “I think we threatened in probably four of the seven innings,” said S-E coach Brian Hicks. “I told them that we have to keep getting on base, and eventually we would get the big hit.”

Sam McClain pitched a complete-game victory striking out 10, walking three, and allowing four meek singles. “People asked me who our number two (pitcher) would be today, and I said Sam was ready to go seven innings today,” Hicks said. “We have a lot of faith in him, and he gutted it out today.”

The Marauders (7-8) play the winner of Westhill and Skaneateles Saturday afternoon.

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S-E 000 002 x 2 3 2

Geoff Ogden (L), Dave Wolenblide (6) and Matt Hammill. Sam McClain (W) and Caleb Brown.

Dryden 7, Greene 1

DRYDEN – Greene turned three double plays, committed just one error, and consistently hit the ball hard. Still, it was unable to parlay those positives into a sectional victory Thursday at Dryden.

“We got behind in the count at times, and when we did, they hit the ball hard in the gaps,” said Greene coach Dave Gorton. “When they didn’t hit it hard, they still found the holes.”

Spencer Hoyt and Herschell Emerson had two hits apiece for the Purple Lions, who move on to play Chenango Valley Saturday.

Justin VanWert had an RBI single in the fifth for Greene (12-9).

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Dry. 102 310 x 7 12 0

Andrew Sterling (W) and Wayne Daugherty. Don Amell (L), Corey Breck (4) and John Carlin. Doubles: (G) Amell, (D) Corey Goodenough, Tim Finnerty, triples: (D) Spencer Hoyt.

G-MU 4, South Kortright 0 (8 innings)

SOUTH KORTRIGHT – G-MU stunned fifth-seeded South Kortright in the first round of the Class D playoffs avenging a 17-9 early-season defeat to the Rams.

Tim Sloan hit a two-run single to break a scoreless tie in the eighth plating Luke Hall and Nate Sloan. Tyler Wildfier added an RBI single to aid winning pitcher Cody Hall.

Hall struck out five and allowed five hits for the shutout win. “We finally put everything together that we’ve been expecting all year,” said G-MU coach Jim Johnson. “We hit the ball hard and had scoring opportunities. We also made some nice plays on defense. Paul Wildfier was spectacular at third base tonight.”