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Health & Fitness

Warriors Fall in Extra Innings in Quarterfinals of Cooperstown Tournament

Warriors fall to undefeated Clifton Park team 5-4 in 7 innings

Facing a squad that had racked up 67 runs in six games of pool play while compiling a 5-0-1 record, the Warriors needed a strong pitching performance to avoid elimination by the number one seed Clifton Park (NY) Legends in the quarterfinals of the single elimination phase of the Cooperstown All-Star Village 10u tournament.  Starting pitcher Everett Andersen was up to the task.

Relying primarily on an electric fastball and mixing in the occasional change-up, Andersen baffled the Legends through four scoreless innings of work, surrendering just two hits while fanning six.

Ryan Sorbo led off the top of the second with the Warriors’ first hit of the day and immediately swiped second base.  He would eventually score on Anthony Passaniti’s ground out to put Wilton up 1-0.  Later in the inning, with bases loaded, Ryan van Heyst’s hard ground ball, which was on its way to the outfield, struck a Warrior runner, and a golden opportunity was lost.

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With one out in the third, Andersen stroked a long double off the left field wall and advanced to third on a wild pitch.  Sorbo then lifted a fly to left and a tagging Andersen came racing home where he collided with the catcher.  A long argument ensued and Andersen was eventually, and correctly, ruled safe, because the catcher was blocking the runner’s path several feet up the third base line.

With the score 2-0 after four, the Warriors tacked on another run in the fifth.   With one out, consecutive singles by van Heyst and Sam Strazza started a rally.  Andersen then hit a line blast off the 10 foot high center field wall, just three feet from a three run homer, plating van Heyst.  But that was all the Warriors could muster.

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Coming on in relief, Van Heyst hurled a scoreless fifth and the Warriors went quietly in the sixth after Brian Cipri’s leadoff infield hit.

The Warrior bullpen had trouble in the sixth, loading the bases on three consecutive walks to start the inning.  But the next batter hit a soft liner to Andersen at shortstop, who squeezed the ball and ran to third for a double play.  With two outs and two strikes on the next hitter, just one strike away from victory and a berth in the seminfinals, the Legends batter turned on a fastball to hit a three run homer, tying the game.

Proving once again incredible resiliency, in the first extra frame Sorbo doubled home Andersen, who had reached on a fielders’ choice after Strazza’s clutch single sparked a rally.   

After eight games in four days, the Warrior bullpen was not up to the task of shutting down the Legends, who scored twice in the bottom of the seventh to seal the Warriors’ fate.

For the week the Warriors were 3-4-1, losing three games in the final at-bat, while representing their town and themselves with great sportsmanship.   

The 2014 Cooperstown Warriors, led by coaches Dirk van Heyst, Ralph Strazza, Anthony Passaniti and Shea Wallon were:  Eli Ackerman, Everett Andersen, Brian Cipri, Ryan Johnson, Jimmy McKiernan, Anthony Passaniti, A. J. Preisano, Max Rothkopf, Andrew Rubsam, Ryan Sorbo, Sam Strazza, Ryan van Heyst, Davis Wallon and Micah Worley.

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