The Gates Chili baseball team claimed last year's Monroe County Division II championship with an 11-3 record, one game better than the Hilton Cadets. The two teams met on Wednesday afternoon to open their 2012 league schedules, with the Spartans coming out on top 2-1.
The starting pitchers for both teams turned in solid efforts, as each tossed six innings of quality work. Tony Graziano picked up the win for Gates Chili, allowing four hits and striking out six while working out of jams in the first, fourth and sixth. For Hilton, Carl Wolf took the hard-luck loss. After giving up two runs and leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, Wolf allowed just three hits the rest of the way while finishing with four strikeouts.
“Carl pitched great,” said Hilton head coach Jeff Murphy. “He only allowed three singles after the first inning and really shut them down, but he has been doing that for us all season so far. He shut down Canandaigua in his first outing and pitched well enough to win on our trip down south.”
Both teams utilized the spring recess to travel south for some non-league games against teams that hit the diamond year-round. The Spartans spent their break at the Disney Complex in Florida, while the Cadets traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While they gained valuable experience the Spartans lost pitcher/shortstop Connor Hamilton, who suffered a facial injury while covering second base. Hamilton would likely have drawn the starting nod for Wednesday's game had he been ready to go, but it was Graziano instead in his first start of the year.
After striking out the leadoff batter to open the game, Graziano allowed back-to-back singles to Noah and Zack Cole. A walk gave the Cadets bases loaded with just one out, but Graziano retired the next two batters to end the early threat.
“This was my first time out this season so I was a little nervous to start the first inning,” said Graziano. “I made a little correction on the mound and just tried to concentrate on making good pitches.”
The Spartans accounted for both of their runs in the home half of the first. Bryan Carville started the rally with a one-out single. Joe Lamanna followed with a quality at-bat that saw him foul off numerous two-strike pitches, and culminated with him earning a spot on first after a fielding error by Hilton's second baseman. Carville advanced to third on the play, then plated Gates Chili's first run when the ball rolled into center field after Lamanna's steal of second base.
The Gates Chili baseball team claimed last year's Monroe County Division II championship with an 11-3 record, one game better than the Hilton Cadets. The two teams met on Wednesday afternoon to open their 2012 league schedules, with the Spartans coming out on top 2-1.
The starting pitchers for both teams turned in solid efforts, as each tossed six innings of quality work. Tony Graziano picked up the win for Gates Chili, allowing four hits and striking out six while working out of jams in the first, fourth and sixth. For Hilton, Carl Wolf took the hard-luck loss. After giving up two runs and leaving the bases loaded in the first inning, Wolf allowed just three hits the rest of the way while finishing with four strikeouts.
“Carl pitched great,” said Hilton head coach Jeff Murphy. “He only allowed three singles after the first inning and really shut them down, but he has been doing that for us all season so far. He shut down Canandaigua in his first outing and pitched well enough to win on our trip down south.”
Both teams utilized the spring recess to travel south for some non-league games against teams that hit the diamond year-round. The Spartans spent their break at the Disney Complex in Florida, while the Cadets traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While they gained valuable experience the Spartans lost pitcher/shortstop Connor Hamilton, who suffered a facial injury while covering second base. Hamilton would likely have drawn the starting nod for Wednesday's game had he been ready to go, but it was Graziano instead in his first start of the year.
After striking out the leadoff batter to open the game, Graziano allowed back-to-back singles to Noah and Zack Cole. A walk gave the Cadets bases loaded with just one out, but Graziano retired the next two batters to end the early threat.
“This was my first time out this season so I was a little nervous to start the first inning,” said Graziano. “I made a little correction on the mound and just tried to concentrate on making good pitches.”
The Spartans accounted for both of their runs in the home half of the first. Bryan Carville started the rally with a one-out single. Joe Lamanna followed with a quality at-bat that saw him foul off numerous two-strike pitches, and culminated with him earning a spot on first after a fielding error by Hilton's second baseman. Carville advanced to third on the play, then plated Gates Chili's first run when the ball rolled into center field after Lamanna's steal of second base.
A two-out single by Michael LaMarca plated Lamanna, making the count 2-0. A single by Graziano and a walk to Dan Hedeen loaded the bases for the Spartans, but Wolf was able to get Michael DiPonzio with a 6-3 ground out before any more runs could cross.
Neither team was able to get a runner into scoring position until the fourth inning, when Hilton scored their only run but could have had more.
Scott Eisenmenger opened the inning with a single, then advanced to second on a misguided pick-off attempt. Eisenmenger then scored on a bad throw to first after a sacrifice bunt by Ryan Juergens, making the score 2-1. With Juergens at second after the error Hilton attempted another sacrifice bunt, but Gates Chili was quick to the ball and got the lead runner at third for the first out of the inning. Graziano got the next man looking, then forced Brandon Coyle into a force out one batter later to quiet the threat.
Hilton would threaten again in the sixth and seventh innings. With Graziano still on the bump, Hilton put runners on first and second with one out after back-to-back walks. Likely in his final inning of work Graziano managed to bear down and retire the final his final two batters via strikeout, with his final pitch coming with a some extra english.
“I knew that was probably my last inning,” added Graziano, “so I just wanted to get through it and keep my team in position to win. I definitely gave that last pitch all I had.”
The Cadets made one final push for a tying run in the seventh off relief pitcher Michael Bonin.
Coyle started the inning with a single to right center. After a strikeout by Noah Cole, Zack Cole drew a walk to move the tying run into scoring position. Bonin got the next batter to fly out to left field, then served up a strikeout to close the deal.
“This was a good win for us to start league play,” Gates Chili head coach John Unson said. “We have been battling some injuries early but we really fought hard for this one. We will build off this win as we get into position for sectionals.”
Carville led Gates Chili (4-3) with a pair of hits and a run scored. LaMarca had a hit and an RBI, Lamanna recorded a hit and a run and Nolan Stafford added a hit.
Pat DiStefano, Noah Cole, Zack Cole, Eisenmenger and Coyle each finished with one hit for Hilton (3-4).
