Just when it looked like Scotia-Glenville would spoil Schalmont’s day, the Sabres provided a happy ending for the hometown fans that came to Saturday’s Bruce Bouck Memorial Tournament.
Kyle McKelvey and Ken Lancto hit back-to-back RBI singles with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning to give Schalmont an 11-10 victory over Scotia-Glenville in the championship game at the re-dedicated Bruce Bouck Memorial Field in Rotterdam.
It was a good game, said Schalmont coach Bob Anderson. `We kept going back and forth with them. We wound up getting the big hits we needed at the end.`
`They were a good team, and we competed with them,` said Scotia-Glenville coach John Striffler. `We have a tendency to play to the level of our competition but we have the uncanny ability to score runs when we need to.`
The Sabres (13-5) scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take an 8-6 lead, but the Tartans (12-5) got single runs in the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game. Then, Bobby Carle blasted a home run in the top of the seventh to help Scotia-Glenville build a 10-8 advantage.
A Scotia-Glenville error in the bottom of the seventh helped Schalmont keep the inning alive for McKelvey and Lancto to deliver the tying and game-winning hits.
`Those are the guys who you want at the plate when you need a big hit,` Anderson said of McKelvey and Lancto, who each had two hits and two RBI in the championship game.
`The guy who hit the home run (Carle) was also our pitcher in the seventh inning, and we wound up giving him four outs (because of the error),` said Striffler. `They didn’t need the four outs because they took advantage.`
The victory over Scotia-Glenville capped a celebratory day at Schalmont High School. Besides re-dedicating the field to Bouck, who passed away during the 1989 season, the tournament also celebrated the 30th anniversary of Schalmont’s 1978 Section II championship season. Several players from the 1978 team were on hand for a ceremony held between the first and second round games.
`It’s nice to get everybody out here to see the new (baseball) facilities,` said Anderson. `We’re not quite finished (with both fields), but we’re close.`
Bouck’s widow, Cindy, and sons, Bruce and Robert, were also on hand for the re-dedication of the varsity field. Robert handed out the championship and consolation trophies after the final game.
`He (Bouck) spent a lot of his time here,` said Cindy, who continues to attend Schalmont games. `He loved the kids, and he loved the sport.`
Schalmont cruised into the championship game with an 11-5 opening round victory over Bishop Gibbons, while Scotia-Glenville needed nine innings to defeat Cobleskill-Richmondville 5-4.
McKelvey, Lancto and J.P. Sportman each had three hits and combined to drive in nine of Schalmont’s 11 runs in its victory over Bishop Gibbons. Bobby McLaughlin belted a home run for Bishop Gibbons, which defeated Cobleskill 8-6 in the consolation game.
Schalmont returned to Colonial Council action Monday with an important 10-7 victory over league-leading Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk. The Sabres scored six runs in the bottom of the second inning to take the lead and added four runs in the sixth to seal the victory.
Sportman drove in three runs with a double and a single for Schalmont, which moved within a game of R-C-S (12-2, 14-3) in the loss column with three regular season games remaining. The Sabres are 10-3 in the league and hold the tiebreaker over the Indians after beating them in both Colonial Council meetings this season.
Meanwhile, Scotia-Glenville locked up second place in the Foothills Council following a 6-1 victory over Hudson Falls Monday. Jared Swider had three hits to lead the Tartans, who finished the regular season with an 11-3 league record, one game behind South Glens Falls.
In other baseball action Monday, Mohonasen and Niskayuna remain tied for first place in the Suburban Council White Division after both teams picked up big crossover victories against two of the top Gold Division squads. Mohonasen edged Bethlehem 11-10, while Niskayuna defeated Columbia 6-1.
Trailing 8-1 in the bottom of the second inning, Mohonasen (7-4, 9-5) scored six runs in the frame and added a run in the bottom of the third to pull even. Bethlehem (8-3, 12-5) regained the lead with a run in the top of the fourth inning, but the Mighty Warriors scored three time in the bottom of the sixth to pull ahead for good.
Ben Gatchell led Mohonasen’s sixth inning rally with a two-run double. David Hondro contributed a two-run triple during the Mighty Warriors’ six-run second inning.
Niskayuna (7-4, 12-4) scored one run in each inning it was at the plate against Columbia, and then it thwarted a Blue Devil rally with a triple play in the top of the seventh inning.
Chris Okonski doubled and singled, and Dan Peters contributed a pair of hits for Niskayuna.
In the Western Athletic Conference, Schenectady Christian used two big innings to defeat Middleburgh 13-5. The Falcons (10-5, 10-6) scored five runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 7-4 lead and then added six runs in the fifth inning to put the game out of the Knights’ reach.
Ian Compton and George Amedore each hit a double and a single to lead Schenectady Christian’s 11-hit attack. Jon Kovel and Steve Garrasi added two singles apiece.“