NORTH CREEK — It took one swing of the bat to put top-seeded Johnsburg/Minerva on its way to a 10-2 win over fourth-seeded Chazy in the Section VII Class D baseball semifinals Tuesday.
Cole Millington’s long two-run homer in the bottom of the fourth inning gave the Irish Jags some breathing room after the Eagles had remained close through three innings, trailing 2-1.
The Irish Jags will oppose second-seeded Bolton, which defeated third-seeded Schroon Lake/Newcomb by a 3-1 score, in the Class D title game Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at Plattsburgh High School.
Winning pitcher Nicholas Sauer-Jones went the first four innings for the win and retired his first eight outs on strikeouts.
The fourth inning proved to be a big turning point in the game.
The Eagles loaded the bases with two outs in the top half before Oliver Ringer hit a fly ball to right center where Johnsburg/Mineva’s center and right fielders brushed against one another, one making the catch to end the threat and keep the game at 2-1.
Chazy got the first two outs in the bottom of the inning, but Nicholas Sauer-Jones drew a walk, and Millington followed with his home run.
Tristen Campbell then got aboard on an infield single and scored on two errors to give the Irish Jags a 5-1 lead.
Nicholas Sauer-Jones, in four innings, surrendered three hits, no earned runs, walked one, hit one and struck out nine. Millington then pitched two innings and Aaden Sauer-Jones one.
Campbell had two infield hits for the Irish Jags, and six other players chipped in with a hit each. Campbell had a RBI in the fifth and Jeremiah Freeebern a base hit to drive in a run in the sixth.
Losing pitcher Aiden Howell went four innings plus two batters in the fifth. He surrendered five earned runs, five hits, walked six, hit three and finished with six strikeouts. Landon Duprey finished up.
Duprey, Zeke McLennan, Jack Bell and Griffin Durocher accounted for the four Chazy hits.
The teams combined for 17 walks and four hit batsmen, despite Nicholas Sauer-Jones walking just one.
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J/M 10, CCRS 2
CCRS 001 001 0 — 2 4 4
J/M 011 332 x — 10 8 2
Howell, Duprey (5) and Demers. N. Sauer-Jones, Millingon (5), A. Sauer-Jones (7) and Millington, N. Sauer-Jones (5). WP- N. Sauer-Jones. LP- Howell. HR- Millington (J/M).
BOLTON 3
SCHROON LAKE/NEWCOMB 1
BOLTON — The D semifinal between the Wild Huskies and Eagles was expected to be a competitive one, and it was.
Bolton scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning on John Roemer’s two-run single to break a 1-all tie.
Jaxon Egloff went five innings for the pitching win as he allowed four hits, one run and struck out six. Jace Hubert then shut the door on the Wild Huskies as he went the final two innings for the save.
Andy Morehouse led Bolton offensively with a double and single. Jacob French added a double in a seven-hit attack.
Starter Lucas LaPerle pitched well for Schroon Lake/Newcomb with three shutout innings to begin the game.
Losing pitcher Daniel Pelkey rapped two doubles to account for two of the four hits for the Wild Huskies. Jayce Porcaro’s single drove in the lone run for SL/N.
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BCS 3, SL/N 1
SL/N 000 100 0 — 1 4 2
BCS 000 120 x — 3 7 1
LaPerle, Pelkey (4) and Porcaro. Egloff, Hubert (6) and Morehouse. WP- Egloff. LP- Pelkey. Sv- Hubert. 2B- Pelkey (SL/N) 2, Morehouse (BCS), French (BCS).