Little Falls, N.Y. – Sophomore catcher Paul Fitzgibbons of the Onondaga Community College baseball team lined a single up the middle in the top of the ninth inning to score John Larca and break a 4-4 ballgame Friday afternoon in Little Falls, NY in the first game of the NJCAA Region III Baseball Final Four against nationally ranked (fifth) Herkimer College Generals.
Onondaga struck first in the second inning when Austin Hall lined a one-out double to right center. Brandan Breen would follow with a single to center field to plate Hall and give Onondaga a 1-0 lead.
Herkimer tied the score at 1-1 in the bottom half of the second inning when Brandon Hubbard lined a RBI double to left center to score Justin Kiesow.
The Lazers would respond by scoring three runs in the third inning on just one hit. Chad Raychel led off the frame with a single up the middle and advanced to second when Fitzgibbons walks. After a double steal and a Nate Budge walk to load the bases, Justin Germain would hit a RBI groundout to score Raychel. Next batter Terry Daniels would reach on an infield error which scored Fitzgibbons. Budge would then come around to score on a balk by the pitcher to give Onondaga a 4-1 lead.
Herkimer would come right back again and score three runs in the third to tie the game again at 4-4. The first five batters reached base to score three runs on a walk, single, walk, walk and another single. Freshman righty Aaron Beck would retire the next three batters to escape further trouble.
After both teams traded zero's over the next five innings, Onondaga would plate three runs on three hits in the ninth to take the lead for good. Larca drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on a single by Raychel up the middle. Fitzgibbons then followed with another line drive up the middle to give Onondaga their fifth run. Nate Budge would follow by lining a two RBI double to left center to extend the lead to 7-4.
Freshman closer Kyle Naugle was handed the ball in the ninth and registered his Division III nation leading 11th save of the year.
Beck tossed seven and two-thirds innings allowing four runs on nine hits while striking out five Generals. Zach Martz recorded the win throwing just one pitch in the eighth to escape trouble.
Raychel finished a perfect 4-4 from the plate with two runs scored.
With the win Onondaga advances in the winner's bracket to face nationally ranked (third) Niagara County Community College today at 3:30 p.m. in Little Falls, NY. Watch that game live HERE. The winner advances to Sunday's championship game while the loser will face the winner of Herkimer College and Jefferson Community College at 7 p.m.
