QUEENSBURY — Loudonville Christian's first hit Tuesday was a home run, and while the Eagles didn't put any more balls over the fence, they kept connecting.
They also received nine free passes as they outpaced Chazy 7-3 in the NYSPHSAA Class D baseball regional finals at Morse Athletic Complex.
"They are by far the best hitting team we've seen all year," Chazy coach Brian Norcross said. "One through nine, the kids hit the ball hard all day long. Our pitchers did a nice job, and they just continually hit the ball and put pressure on us."
Alex Malossi went the distance for the pitching win, hit the first-inning homer and finished with two hits. Loudonville Christian (18-2), from Section II, advanced to the final four.
"Chazy's a great team. It's one of the best teams we've played this year, actually," Loudonville Christian coach Tim Phelps said. "So for us to play so well against such a good team, I'm very happy with our team."
With the game tied 2-2 in the third inning, Luke Barton's grounder to short was bobbled, allowing the go-ahead run to score, and Dan Varro added an RBI single.
While Chazy (12-2) pulled within a run in the fourth, Loudonville Christian stayed in front the rest of the way.
Loudonville Christian threatened again in the fourth, taking three walks to load the bases before Kyle Bisonette replaced Chazy starter Ricky Osier and got the final out.
It built a cushion in the fifth on a sacrifice fly and a hit to left field.
Osier took the loss, fanning two and walking five.
Osier walked his first two batters of the day, and after Kyle McCarthy picked one off, the third batter, Malossi, cranked a pitch over the fence for two runs.
But Osier got the runs back in the top of the second by hitting a two-run single.
Norcross lamented some missed opportunities, noting his team hit into a double play with the bases loaded earlier in the second. Chazy also stranded two runners in the first.
"We got a lot of hits, it seemed like, early in the game, and we got a lot of pressure on them. And we just couldn't get the one big hit when we needed it," Norcross said. "Just some unfortunate situations where we had a chance early and we didn't capitalize on the chances we had.
"But they also made the plays in the field to take that away from us."
Nathan Reynolds doubled and singled for Chazy, and Bisonette and Austin Santor also rapped two hits.
Malossi struck out five and walked three.
Both teams were making their first appearances in regional play, and Norcross said his players were "very nervous," but they settled down once the game started.
"I'm proud of the way we handled things today. We did fight until the end," the coach said. "It's been a great season. The one thing people can't take away is it is Chazy's first sectional title in baseball, and these kids were obviously the reason why.
"They were all a part of it, and they'll never forget it."
Loudonville Christian 7, Chazy 3
Chazy 020 100 0 — 3 10 3
Loudonville Chris. 022 021 x — 7 7 2
Osier, Bisonette (4) and McCarthy. Malossi and Baron. WP- Malossi. LP- Osier. 2B- Reynolds (C). HR- Malossi (LC).
Email Courtney Lewis at: clewis@pressrepublican.com
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