By HUNTER O. LYLE
FALCONER, NY – Facing a familiar opponent in their pursuit of a Section VI Class C playoff run, redemption evaded the Portville baseball team as they were dispatched by Falconer in just five innings, closing out their season with a 15-1 quarterfinals loss.
“It’s a season-ender for us, not one I really want to go back and nit-pick,” said Portville head coach Joseph Pleakis. “(Falconer) is a hot team. They showed up and put the bat on the ball. If they play the way they played today, I think they’re going deep. They’re an impressive team.”
Seeing the Golden Falcons twice already this year and walking away with an 0-2 record in the season series, revenge seemed possible early. Despite burning through the first two outs in their initial three batters, the Panthers managed to put Aiden DeFazio on second with a full-count walk and subsequent steal. In his first appearance at the plate, cleanup hitter Ty Kosinski then rattled off the first hit of the afternoon, drilling a low-flying single into the outfield and bringing DeFazio around home.
\Holding an early advantage, DeFazio then anchored Portville’s defense, seeing three batters from the mound and coming away with three full-count Ks.
However, the Panthers’ spark died out there. After being retired in just four in the top of the second, they watched as Falconer responded with a wave of big hits. Starting with an errant overthrow to first, Portville allowed the Golden Falcons to find real estate on all three bases with a subsequent walk and single.
Finding gaps of green and avenues to the outfield, the next three men up all drove in runs as the Golden Falcons swiftly took the lead at 4-1. Reloading the bases immediately after, their hot streak continued, culminating in an eight-run advantage heading into the third.
“I don’t have to say much (to my team) at that point,” said Pleakis. “They know what’s at stake. It’s a heck of a group of kids there.”
While the Panthers continued to sputter, leaving four baserunners stranded through the next two frames and coming away with just one hit, Falconer continued to run up the lead. Scoring another five in the bottom of the third and one in the fourth, they forced Portville to the edge of defeat, sitting just one half-frame away from a mercy rule elimination.
With their season all but ended, the Panthers ended with one last silver lining. As DeFazio, Kosinski and Dylan Chudy stepped into the batters’ box, they were doing so for the final time, putting one last AB on their senior seasons.
“It’s a special group,” said Pleakis, who graduates five seniors from this Panthers squad. “(DeFazio’s) been here for four years and it’s meant a lot to him.”
Kosinski led the Panthers at the plate, going 1-for-2 with one RBI while Peyton Carter and Mason Adams both finished 1-for-2.
“We can look at wins and losses,” said Pleakis, “but I couldn’t be more proud of coaching that group of kids.”
AT FALCONER
Portville 100 00 R:1 H:3 E:6
Falconer 095 1X R:15 H:9 E:0
Portville: DeFazio (6 SO, 1 BB), Taylor (3) (1 SO, 2 BB), Keim (4) (0 SO, 2 BB) and Chudy
Falconer: Curtis (6 SO, 2 BB), Sharpe (3 SO, 1 BB) and Stenstrom
