News & notes

 Inflation and greed have permeated Section II.

The last time I attended a sectional game in any sport, ticket prices were $6 per person, and I assumed that would be the case headed into game 1 of the Class AA championship series on Wednesday.

Nope. Prices were raised to $10. Why? Because Section II entered a contract with a 3rd party, online ticket agency, GoFan, last year, and while they encourage people to buy tickets online, you still can get tickets at the door.

To be sure, fans attending the Saratoga-Shaker game got their money's worth, and then some.

Saratoga drew first blood in the 2nd inning when Shaker starter Ryan Bates balked in Owen Redick, who had walked. It stayed that way until the 6th. With one out, Alex Teator walked. With two out, Teator advanced to second on a wild pitch, and scored on a single by Charles DeRizzo. Michael Mack followed with a double to make it 3-0, and Bates' tenure as a pitcher was over. The Siena-bound senior moved to 1st base as Joe Trombley took over (Cam Mailloux was double-switched out of the game). Trombley was magnificent, but ran out of gas in the 12th inning. With the game tied at 3, Redick laced a base hit to left to tie the game. Saratoga added three more runs to ice it, and take game 1, 7-4.

Nate Rodriguez started for Saratoga, and was forced out with an arm injury in the 6th with 1 out. It looked like the training staff was looking at his elbow. Uh-oh! Xavier Garcia allowed the tying runs to score, then gave way to eventual winner Mateo Avila in the 8th.

Game 2, weather permitting, is tomorrow at 7.

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Wednesday's opener saw Schuylerville upset Ichabod Crane, 1-0, to claim the Class B title. Some of the same stars who carried the Black Horses to within a game of the state title in football in the fall were part of this team, including winning pitcher Ryan Dow, Carson Patrick, and the Sherman brothers, Owen & Luke. The state tournament awaits;

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The Albany Times-Union's Athletes of the Week for the week ending May 22 should surprise no one.

On the men's side, LaSalle's Getachew "Gitch" Hayes copped yet another honor, as he won a few of these earlier in the season. This time, while he didn't win, Hayes broke a Section II record for the mile during Trials for Miles Night at Icahn Stadium in New York, finishing the course in 4:09.04. Hayes will attend North Carolina next season.

For the women, Troy's Olivia DeCitise was recognized for a 1 hitter against Mohonasen in the Section II quarter-finals. DeCitise has 250 strikeouts for the season heading into today's sectional final vs. Burnt Hills at Luther Forest.

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Women's lacrosse results:

Class A:

Shenendehowa 13, Shaker 9.

Saratoga 12, Bethlehem 11 (3 OT).

Class B:

Niskayuna 14, Columbia 6. The Silver Warriors will face Queensbury in the finals.

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The Tri-City Valleycats went to sudden death in the 11th inning under the Frontier League's oddball extra inning rules, and evened their series with the Washington Wild Things, 2-1. As the home team, the Wild Things had the option of batting first in the 11th, but chose to go on defense. As a result, Jesus Lujano was credited with his 3rd straight walk-off RBI, this one on a fielder's choice that plated the game winner.

Makes ya wonder if the highlights made it to ESPN........