Shen baseball goes back-to-back as section champs, storming past Saratoga in Class AAA series finale

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Shenendehowa baseball scored 18 runs in the span of five innings between the end of Game 2 and the start of Game 3 in the inaugural Section II, Class AAA championship series. And that's why the Plainsmen are section champs for a second straight season.

Shen hung eight runs over the first three innings of Sunday's series finale with Saratoga Springs at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium, en route to a series-clinching, 9-4 victory. It comes right on the heels of a 10-3 victory in Game 2 Friday, in which the Plainsmen scored all 10 runs in the sixth and seventh innings after trailing 3-0.

"It's all about confidence," said senior center fielder Evan Kochanskyj, who went 3-4 with three runs batted in and two runs scored. "What you're thinking before you go up to the plate; what you have in your head while you're at the plate. Trust your feelings, and see the ball, hit the ball."

This marks the second straight season Shen has dropped the first game of a championship series with Saratoga and come back to win the series. Last year, it was in Class AA. Now, the Plainsmen are the section's first-ever AAA title holders.

"We're never out of anything," said senior first baseman Ian Oehlschlaeger, who got Shen out to an early lead with a two-run double in the bottom of the first inning. "We were down 1-0 last year; this year, same thing. We always just compete, come back and try to win games. That's what we do."

"We just knew we had to bring the energy the next two games," added Kochanskyj. "It's unbelievable. I'm speechless."

Oehlschlaeger's two-run double was just the start of a four-run opening frame that put the Blue Streaks on their heels. Later in the inning, Shen starting pitcher Brad Curtis provided himself some run support with an RBI groundout. The next batter, Ryan Cronin, roped a double to the right center-field gap, plating Jason Clawson, who had reached earlier when he was hit by a pitch.

The Plainsmen offense went right back to work in inning No. 2. After singles from Kochanskyj and Oehlschlaeger, they stole third and second base, respectively. With Curtis at the dish, a 1-2 wild pitch allowed Kochanskyj to score standing up. Because he didn't slide, the throw to home plate from 'Toga catcher Camden Rhude hit Kochanskyj and caromed towards the Shen on-deck circle, allowing Oehlschlaeger to race home as well, growing the lead to six runs.

Saratoga found some rhythm offensively in the top half of the third. After loading the bases, Rhude knocked in a run with a single to right. Jack Rigabar then wrapped a single to right as well, bringing in another two Blue Streak runners, cutting the margin in half at 6-3.

But the Plainsmen got two runs right back in the home half on a Kochanskyj shot up in the middle that plated Cooper Reinisch and Josh Soroka.

The two sides traded runs in the fifth inning, but that'd be the last of the scoring. Shen's Colin Berry tossed two shutout innings in relief of Curtis, locking down the 9-4 win.

"These guys never quit," said Shen head coach Greg Christodulu. "They kept grinding at-bats. They kept grinding every pitch. I think we stressed their [Saratoga's] pitching staff out all three games. Our guys just kept gettin' after it. You gotta give our...senior group credit, and our underclassmen following suit."

Shen moves on to the state tournament and gets a bye to a regional matchup at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse. The Plainsmen will meet up with Section III champion CBA Syracuse Saturday, June 1, at 6:00 p.m.

Saratoga Springs concludes its season with a 17-8 overall record.