Good to the last bounce (Saratoga vs. Shenendehowa, 5/30/19)

Anyone that has closely followed the territorial rivalry between Shenendehowa and Saratoga knew this wasn't going to be a lopsided affair Thursday afternoon at Bruno Stadium. Far from it.

Saratoga's three sport senior star, Nate Chudy, took the hill for the Blue Streaks, opposed by Shen's Evan Jones. Neither had perfect control, nerves likely a factor. Jones gave up a single to Saratoga's Luca Bonacio with one out in the first, but Bonacio was thrown out trying to steal. Jones kept wriggling out of trouble, with help from his defense.

Chudy, on the other hand, was, for a lack of a better term, schizophrenic on the hill. He had seven strikeouts through four innings, but that was counter-balanced by five walks. Still, the game was scoreless after four.

Shen finally broke through against Chudy in the fifth. Jones led off with a single, and was lifted pro tempore for pinch-runner C. J. Latham. With two outs, Latham on third and Evan Dean on second, Ben Lavery broke the ice with a two run double, plating both Latham & Dean before Chudy fanned Thomas Krill for the third time in the game to end the frame.

In the seventh, Jones gave up a lead-off single to pinch hitter Christian Arpey. After a single by Christian Kondo, Jones was lifted in favor of Brendan Disonell. With two out, Chudy, who had been lifted himself for reliever Josh Henderson in the sixth, batted for Henderson, in effect, and tied the game with a two run single. Unfortunately, Chudy ran the Streaks out of the inning when he was caught stealing, setting the stage for the final frame.

In the home seventh, Pat McGuire walked, and was sacrificed to second. After an intentional walk to Lavery, Jake Reinisch lined a base hit to left. McGuire came around, and scored when Saratoga catcher Ryan Dolan failed to corral the relay from the outfield. Shen moves on to the title game, 3-2.
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While there was a temporary drizzle before the game, the rains came in earnest before the nightcap. Guilderland was three batters deep in the top of the first, with a run already home, before the game was called due to rain. Guilderland and Niskayuna will try again Friday afternoon at 2, ahead of the previously scheduled double-header of the Class D & B finals.
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Other scores:

Softball results from today, courtesy of the Albany Times-Union:

CLASS AA
Colonie 4, Shenendehowa 3 (Final)
Bethlehem 11, Columbia 4 (Final)

CLASS A
South Glens Falls 8, Troy 5 (Final)
Ballston Spa 13, Scotia 0 (Final)

CLASS B
Ichabod Crane 1, Tamarac 0 Final)
Schuylerville 9, Mechanicville 3 (Final)

CLASS C
Chatham 4, Hoosic Valley 0 (Final)
Lake George 5, Greenwich 4 (Final)

CLASS D
Whitehall 11, Germantown 0 (Final)
Fort Ann 3, Salem 0 (Final)

Troy's season is over, but they do have some key players returning next year for coach Sean Geisel, and they will be players. The finals are now set for Luther Forest & Moreau State Park on Tuesday.