Baker pitches Fort Plain past FFCS
By JAMES A. ELLIS, The Leader-Herald
POSTED: May 18, 2008
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The senior hurler overcame a dropped third strike, a hit batter and a line drive single in the inning to strike out Braves’ cleanup hitter Pat Sperow to halt the threat and secure the 3-0 victory.
“You’ve got to give the Baker kid credit, he pitched an incredible game today,” Fonda-Fultonville coach Rick Palumbo said. “He was on. We had a hard time hitting his breaking pitch and he worked in the fastball when he needed to. Fort Plain also played solid defense behind him.”
The Hilltoppers carried a 3-0 lead into the top of the sixth and Baker struck out Kyle Hanson to open the inning and backed it up with a strikeout of Mike Kaczor. A dropped third strike and hustle by Kaczor kept the inning alive for Fonda-Fultonville (13-6 overall, 12-4 WAC) and put a runner on first with one out.
Sean Meyers lifted a fly ball to left field that was chased down by Erik Kuntzsch for the second out and Tyler Hall lined a single to right to put runners on first and second. Josh Nethaway was struck by a pitch to load the bases.
Fort Plain coach Craig Phillips made a quick trip to the mound for a talk with Baker and his infielders.
“I just wanted everyone to know everything was OK and relax,” Phillips said. “I said the guy who is going to beat us is at bat, not on the bases, go after him, be aggressive.”
Baker responded with a five-pitch swinging strikeout to get out of the jam.
“I knew I had to get him out because it was a big out,” Baker said. “My curve ball was actually working, for once. I was just trying to hit my spots. Hudy [Ryan Hudyncia] is a wall back there. Not much gets by him. I was able to concentrate on making my pitch and not worry about spotting it.”
The Braves turned back a Fort Plain challenge in the bottom of the first inning as Baker and James Thomas singled to put runners on first and second, but could not get the runner home as Nethaway, the Braves starting pitcher, kept the ball on the infield to work out of the inning.
The Hilltoppers broke through for the first run of the game in the bottom of the third when Adam Cutspec connected for a one-out triple to the right field fence. He came home on a fielding error off the bat of Tyler Barhydt to put Fort Plain up 1-0.
Fonda-Fultonville again threatened in the top of the fourth when Nethaway connected for a double to left-center with one out. The Hilltoppers again came up with the big play when Barhydt snagged a hard line drive off Sperow’s bat and quickly stepped on second for an inning-ending double play.
Fort Plain added two more runs in the bottom of the fifth when Braemer bunted his way on and Cutspec followed with a single to left. Baker moved the runners along with a sacrifice bunt. Barhydt came through with the big hit, a two RBI single to the gap in left-center, to put the Hilltoppers up 3-0. The Braves rallied again in the top of the seventh with Blake Hart driving the ball deep to center field only to have it chased down by Braemer for the first out. Kevin Hanson made his way on base on a fielding error, but the Hilltoppers settled in to get the final out and the victory.
“We had decent contact all game,” Palumbo said. “Blake’s shot was well hit. It was just an outstanding play by their center fielder that stopped it from being an extra-base hit. They capitalized on a couple of errors and we probably made three bad pitches the whole game and paid for it. Overall, I thought Josh pitched a good game for us today. It is nice to have him back in the rotation. We are getting ready for sectionals and are going to need him.”
The Braves collected three hits in the game, a double by Nethaway and two singles by Hall.
For the Hilltoppers, Cutspec led the way with a triple, single and two runs scored. Baker, Barhydt, Thomas, Mark Hanifin, Hudyncia, Kuntzsch and Braemer all singled.
“Anytime you beat four B schools in a season you have a good program,” Phillips said. “I have nothing but respect for Fonda-Fultonville and the job Rick and his coaches do. But Dustin was superior today. It is the best game he has pitched all year. It was a great win for our program. We have three games left with a two- or threegame lead now in the league. If we win out, we should get a No. 1 berth in sectionals even though Waterford beat us.”
Fort Plain 3, Fonda-Fultonville 0
Fonda-Fultonville 000 000 0 — 0 3 1
Fort Plain 001 020 x — 3 9 1
Baker and Hudyncia; J. Nethaway, Hart (6) and L. Nethaway.
Western Athletic Confrence
Fort Plain 28, Middleburgh 9
MIDDLEBURGH — Tyler Barhydt drove in five runs with a home run, double and single to power Fort Plain to a 28-9 win over Middleburgh Friday.
Mark Hanifin went 5-for-6 with two triples, two singles and a double for the Hilltoppers, who improved to 15-2 overall and 14-1 in WAC play.
Hanifin also scored five runs and had three RBIs for the Hilltoppers who scored 12 runs in the first inning.
Fort Plain 28, Middleburgh 9
Fort Plain (12)34 90 — 28 20 1
Middleburgh 1 08 00 — 9 7 5
Kane and Hudyncia; Symons and Hoerz.
Canajoharie 12, Northville 4
CANAJOHARIE — Zack Weaver went 4-for-4 with three doubles and three RBIs to lead Canajoharie to a victory over Northville Friday.
Dane O’Neil and Don Oeser each went 2-for-3 for the Cougars, who improved to 14-6 overall and 12-5 in WAC play.
Canajoharie 12, Northville 4
Northville 000 004 0 — 4 5 3
Canajoharie 203 610 x — 12 13 1
Bedell, Cole (5), Allen (6) and Allen, Bedell (5); Horning, Smith (5), Weaver (5) and Fleisher.
