Hit parade propels Webster Thomas to state tournament, Pal-Mac stays undefeated to advance
When the Webster Thomas Titans won the 2021 Section V Class A Baseball Championship, that ended the team's season.
That was a high note, but most Section V champions go on to play in the high school state tournaments, which were cancelled that year.
The Titans had a chance to advance outside of the section this season, an opportunity the Section V Class A1 champions seized Thursday when they whacked out 18 hits during a 14-4 win over Pittsford Sutherland in a state tournament qualifier game at Greece Olympia.
The hit total for Webster Thomas was a season-high.
Garett Wilson had three of those, including a three-run home run during a seven-run third inning for the Titans. Wilson, who also hit a double, drove in a total of four runs. Nate Hill had three RBI and three hits.
More: Section V baseball scores for the 2022 season
More: Webster Thomas defeats crosstown rival for back-to-back baseball titles
Shane Talbot, the Titans' starting and winning pitcher, had two hits and a RBI when he picked up a bat. James Bolton and Josh Butka each drove in a run for the Titans.
Webster Thomas (13-11), which lost more regular season games than the team won, has a four-game winning streak before the team's state tournament quarterfinal matchup against Hamburg, noon June 4 at Grand Island High. Hamburg (15-6) is the Class A champion in Section VI.
Tyler Mullin was 3 for 4 with a RBI and Jack Zawacki 2 for 4 and scored two runs for Sutherland, the Section V Class A2 champion.
The Knights defeated Webster Thomas not once, but twice in a pair of non-division, crossover Monroe County league games. They also led 2-1 after the bottom of the first inning in the third matchup of the teams.
But the Titans scored in the second on a RBI double by Butka and a two-run double by Nate Hill. Then came the big third inning.
Talbot, Mason Lawyer and Hill each hit a RBI single. Wilson, a right-handed hitter, delivered his home run over the fence in right center field.
"He hit it pretty good," Webster Thomas coach Kevin Neenan said. "Throughout the year, we had our chances, guys were in scoring position.
"Once we got to the postseason, we started coming through, getting more timely hits."
Class B state qualifier
The Palmyra-Macedon Red Raiders moved deeper into the high school baseball postseason, remained undefeated and emerged as Section V's Class B champion Thursday.
Bath Haverling, Section V's Class B2 champion, stood in the way of Palmyra-Macedon advancing into the state tournament until the Red Raiders defeated the Rams 7-0 in a qualifier game at Livonia.
Palmyra-Macedon takes on Medina (21-3) from Section VI in a state quarterfinal 2 p.m. June 4 at Monroe Community College..
Ian Goodness, a junior at Palmyra-Macedon listed at 6 feet-2 inches tall, pitched all seven innings of the shutout. Goodness allowed three hits, walked no batters and struck out nine. He also drove in two runs, finishing 1 for 2 with a double.
Christian Morrison also drove in two runs. Alex Wootton had a RBI, was 2 for 3 and scored two runs. Chris Finocchario, the Most Valuable Player of the Class B1 sectional final, was 1 for 3 with a RBI.
The Red Raiders are 23-0. This is the second consecutive season Palmyra-Macedon won a sectional title, but there were no high school state championships run by the New York State Public High School Athletic Association during the 2020-21 school year.
More: Palmyra-Macedon captures Section V title repeat and stays undefeated
Class C state qualifier
Oakfield-Alabama moved closer to the state tournament after defeating Letchworth 14-6 in the first of two playoff games for a slot in the Class C state tournament.
A matchup between Oakfield-Alabama and Bolivar-Richburg on June 3 will complete the three-way mini-tournament. The winner of that second playoff faces Section VI champion Portville during the state tournament regional or quarterfinal round, 5 p.m. June 4 at Monroe Community College.
Oakfield-Alabama teammates Bodie Hyde and Cooper Colantonio each drove in three runs against Letchworth. Hyde was 3 for 3 with a double, scored three runs and Colantonio was 2 for 5, as the Hornets had 18 hits.
Kyle Porter also had three hits in the Oakfield-Alabama lineup, including two doubles. Porter also scored three times, while teammate Aiden Warner was 2 for 4 with two runs batted in.
Oakfield-Alabama (C2), Bolivar-Richburg (C3) and Letchworth (C1) all won Section V championships.
JAMESJ@Gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Webster Thomas, Pal-Mac advance to NY state baseball tournament
