“Let me, root, root, root for the home team/If they don’t win, it’s a shame.”
— “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”
On the 100th anniversary of Jack Norworth’s timeless ode to baseball, the Niagara Power put together a pair of post-seventh-inning-stretch rallies, but couldn’t hang on for what would’ve been their biggest win of the season.
In Thursday’s New York Collegiate Baseball League showcase game, the Power saw their season-high four-game win streak end with a 4-3 loss to the Hornell Dodgers.
Most of the announced crowd of 120 at Sal Maglie Stadium stuck around to root for the home team in the ninth inning, as Niagara loaded the bases with two outs before pinch-hitter Tyson Leighton’s ground ball to the left side of the infield hit teammate Joe Durham on the foot to end the game.
“You can never let a ball hit you on the basepaths,” Niagara coach Sam Kirby said after the game.
Other than that, and the fact Hornell starter J.C. Casey no-hit the Power (11-16) for five innings, Kirby was pleased with the Power’s play, particularly late.
He lamented that Angelo Buscemi tripped over first base after hitting a ball deep into left field to lead off the ninth.
“I think he would’ve got all the way to third on that,” Kirby said, and likely scored on Joe Durham’s subsequent single.
“We had a lot of opportunities that we couldn’t take advantage of,” Kirby said. “The biggest thing I told them after the game was to stick with it. We’ll let Hornell beat up on the rest of the guys in front of us, and if we keep playing like we have been, good things will happen.”
Niagara entered Thursday 2 1/2 games behind fourth-place Geneva for the East’s final playoff spot.
Hornell (23-8) took a 2-0 lead after three innings, but Niagara tied the game in the seventh with a two-out rally. Stewart Young got on with a single, and later scored on a bad pickoff throw by Hornell catcher Abe Steinbach. Caleb Dalman also singled, and crossed home on Spencer Sobol’s hard grounder to short.
Niagara took the lead in the eight with a bit of small ball. After infield singles from Durham and Joel Blomberg, Ben Lillis laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt to put Durham on third. Two batters later, Durham scored on a ground ball to the other side of the infield by Young.
Hornell regained the lead with two runs in the ninth, getting an RBI double from Greg Laughlin, who later scored the winning run on a single by Adam Gray.
Josh Goodin was credited with the win, while Ryan Maxa earned the save by retiring Leighton, the only batter he faced. Sam Briend took the loss for Niagara.
Durham, Sobol and Buscemi each had two hits for the Power, who have today off before hosting Elmira at 5 p.m. Saturday.
Contact reporter Jonah Bronstein at 282-2311, ext. 2258.
Dan Cappellazzo/staff photographer
PICKED OFF: Niagara Falls Power third baseman Zach Leighton tags out Hornell’s Andrew Kinney in the top of the second inning at Sal Maglie Stadium on Thursday night. The Power had their four-game win streak snapped with a 4-3 loss.DAN CAPPELLAZZO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPH/(Click for larger image)
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