Cobleskill, N.Y.: The SUNY Cobleskill men's baseball team claimed the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Western Division Championship on Saturday by sweeping a doubleheader against the Wildcats of SUNY Polytechnic Institute at Fighting Tiger Field by scores of 6-5 and 8-7 in the NAC Western Division Championship Series. The Fighting Tigers improve to 14-7 overall on the season the Wildcats close the campaign 9-12 overall on the year.

In the opener the Fighting Tigers jumped out to a 5-1 lead after three innings scoring two in the second and three in the third highlighted by third inning run producing singles from sophomore first baseman Frank Leger, Bronx, N.Y., All Hallows High School, senior centerfielder River Sisson, Cobleskill, N.Y., Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, and senior third baseman Chris Kordziel, Rotterdam, N.Y., Notre Dame Bishop Gibbons High School/Hudson Valley Community College, in the frame.
Cobleskill held the lead until sixth inning when the Wildcats used aggressive base running and three Fighting Tiger errors to tie the score at 5-5.

The home team then took the lead for good in the seventh inning breaking the tie when freshman second baseman Stephen Tejada, Queens, N.Y., High School for Construction, singled and stole then advanced to third on an infield out. With two outs Tejada scored when senior left fielder Jayson Maxwell, Newport, N.Y., Notre Dame High School, softly singled to short left centerfield to make it 6-5.

After regaining the lead, Cobleskill senior pitcher Jarrod Williams, Baldwinsville, N.Y., C.W. Baker High School/Finger Lakes Community College, held the visitors in check over the final two innings to secure the victory going the full nine innings allowing only two earned runs on 11 hits striking out four to improve to 2-1 overall on the year.

Wildcat senior hurler Kevin Flynn, Deerfield, N.Y., Whitesboro High School, was tagged with the loss going seven innings allowing five earned runs on nine hits striking out eight and walking no one to fall to 2-2 on the year.

The Fighting Tigers were led offensively by Stephen Tejada who went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and a stolen base while River Sisson also went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored with Chris Kordziel going 2-for-4 with two RBI in the game.
The Wildcats received strong efforts at the plate from senior centerfielder Bradley Dietz, Phoenix, N.Y., John C. Birdlebough High School, who was 2-for-5 with a run scored and a pair of runs batted in and from senior first baseman Kyle Liddy, Oriskany, N.Y., Oriskany High School, who went 1-for-4 with a walk, a stolen base, a run scored and an RBI.

In the nightcap the Fighting Tigers once again jumped out to an 8-2 lead after five innings and after a rocky start appeared to be cruising behind the mound work of senior southpaw Devin Lewis, Cobleskill, N.Y., Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, heading into the sixth inning.

However, the Wildcats rallied once again capitalizing on three Fighting Tiger errors and a passed ball to score five runs in the inning highlighted by doubles from sophomore first baseman Carter Romansky, Voorheesville, N.Y., Clayton A. Bouton High School, and freshman left fielder Paul Barber, Nassau, N.Y. Catholic Central High School, to close the lead to 8-7.

With the game hanging in the balance, Cobleskill head coach Lance Ratchford went to the bullpen and brought in sophomore lefty Connor Maxwell, Newport, N.Y., West Canada Valley High School, to protect the lead.

Over three innings of work, Maxwell held SUNY Poly scoreless on three hits to earn the save and secure the victory for Lewis who improves to 5-1 overall on the year after allowing only one earned run over six innings of work.

Wildcat starter senior Dylan Sheely, Alpaus, N.Y., Niskayuna High School, took the loss allowing five earned runs in five innings striking out three and walking five to fall to 2-1 on the season.

At the plate Cobleskill was led by senior right fielder Nick Thomas, Scotia, N.Y., Scotia-Glenville High School, who was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple two RBI and two runs scored and by left fielder Jayson Maxwell who was 2-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Third baseman Chris Kordziel was also 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in the win.

For the Wildcats designated hitter Kyle Liddy was 3-for-5 with a run scored with junior right fielder Jake Montrose, Whitesboro, N.Y., Whitesboro High School, going 2-for-5 with a pair of RBIs.

The Fighting Tigers will next play for the overall conference title and the league's NCAA Division III Championship Automatic Bid on Thursday May 20 and Friday May 21 when they travel to Bangor, Maine to meet the NAC Eastern Division Champion Husson University Eagles at Husson's Harold Alfond Diamond.