Press-Republican
---- — PLATTSBURGH — The Meron's Expos needed one win over the Plattsburgh Cardinals Sunday at South Acres Field to wrap up the Champlain Valley Baseball League regular season championship.
The Expos got it in Game 1 with a 7-5 victory before dropping a 13-9 decision in Game 2.
The split left the Expos and Lyon Mountain Miners both at 16-4 and at the top of the league standings. Meron's, however, defeated the Miners three out of four games during the regular season and will be the top seed in the playoffs.
In the opener, Brandon Cross hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning and Billy Davis a three-run shot in the fifth for a 7-1 Meron's lead.
Nate Durkee and Dustin Currier then rapped two-run homers in the top of the sixth to bring the Cardinals to within 7-5.
Davis struck out eight in going the distance for the pitching win.
Durkee, Zach LaPoint and Currier led the Cardinals with two hits apiece.
In Game 2, the Cardinals (14-6) tallied five runs in the second and eight more in the third.
Matt Duquette paced Plattsburgh with three hits and three RBI, while LaPoint and Currier chipped in with two hits apiece, with Currier hitting a three-run homer. Steve Burris went four innings for the win and Currier the rest of the way for the save.
Paul Bruno and Cross led the Expos with three hits each, with Cross getting two doubles. Pat Shaughnessy had a double and single, Mike Bergman a three-run homer and Cliff Conners a double and two RBI.
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Miners 5, Padres 3 Miners 5, Padres 4
LYON MOUNTAIN — The Lyon Mountain Miners (16-4) got late game-winning hits in both games to edge the Airborne Speedway/Hockey Plus Padres (10-10).
In the opener, the Miners scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth to erase a 3-2 deficit.
Jerry Kowalowski tied the game with a RBI double and Justin Besaw, with two out, singled to right for a game-winning two-run hit.
David Waldron struck out 10 in going the distance for the pitching win. Nick Chase rapped a single and triple for Lyon Mountain, while Jerry Kowalowski contributed a single and double.
Frank Brogna led the Padres with two hits and Pat Hoey added a two-run single.
In Game 2, the Padres tied the game in the top of the seventh when Matt Ormsby doubled, took third on a wild pitch and scored on Shane Perrotte's sacrifice fly.
But, with two out in the bottom of the seventh, Kyle Kowalowski, Scott Baker and Kris Chase all singled, with Chase's RBI single to right the game-winner.
Baker paced the Miners with a double and single, while six other players had a hit each. Chris VanHouten went the seven innings to get the pitching victory.
Cory Trombley and Ormsby paced the Padres with a double and single apiece. Matt Rivers pitched well in going the distance for the loss.
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A's 7, T'jaxx 4 T'jaxx 5, A's 4
PLATTSBURGH — The Fourth Ward A's Andrew Stanley, who struck out 10, allowed only a seventh-inning single to Tristan McDonald in going the distance for a one-hitter in Game 1 at Lefty Wilson Field.
Kevin Jessey led the A's with two hits and two RBI, while Steve Livsey and Jake Tolosky each drove in two runs. The A's scored all seven of their runs in the third.
In Game 2, Tim Lafave rapped out two hits and drove in two runs to power the Fourth Ward Timberjaxx to a victory.
McDonald struck out seven in going the route for the win. The Timberjaxx broke a 2-all tie with three runs in the top of the third inning.
Randy Brown paced the A's with a single and double.
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Playoffs set
Quarterfinal playoffs in the league will be held this coming Sunday.
The top-seeded Meron's Expos and second-seeded Lyon Mountain Miners have a bye in the opening round.
Nine-inning contests, with the winners advancing to the semfinals, will take place with the third-seeded Plattsburgh Cardinals hosting the sixth-seeded Fourth Ward Timberjaxx at Lefty Wilson Field at noon and the fourth-seeded Airborne Speedway/Hockey Plus Padres entertaining the fifth-seeded Fourth Ward A's in Saranac at noon.
The A's and Timberjaxx split four games during the regular season, with the A's getting the fifth seed by run differential.
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