Kennedy’s State Title Bid Comes to an End

JFK sophomore Erik Bauer delivers during state final Saturday night. SKIP PEARLMAN Saturday’s Class B state final between John F. Kennedy Catholic and Section 3’s Westhill was delayed once due to rain, then had to be moved to another venue after groundskeepers at NYSEG Stadium in Binghamton decided they didn’t need to cover the field during a second round of hard thundershowers that completely drenched the already wet field.

As that second set of hard showers fell, hundreds of Kennedy and Westhill spectators watched in amazement as the skeleton grounds crew stood motionless – watching the field become unplayable, and doing nothing about it.

Then they apologized.

After a long delay, the game was moved to Union-Enicott High School, but there was already a game being played there, so the JFK-Westhill start time was set at 8 p.m.

Kennedy players walk off field in disappointment, as Westhill celebrates winning Class B state title Saturday night. SKIP PEARLMAN Unfortunately, Pittsford-Sutherland and Wantagh didn’t finish their Class A state final – won by Sutherland, 6-5, until 8:30.

After things finally got rolling at 8:52, an umpire saw lightening in the distance in the top of the third inning, and shut the game down for another 30-minute delay. Twenty-five minutes later, more lightening was clearly visible in the distance, which should have meant more delays.

But officials and umpires instead huddled, and smartly decided to resume the game earlier. Sunday’s forecast was even worse, and if the teams didn’t finish by Sunday, there would be no game at all, because once regents exams begin, no games can be played. The two teams would have been named co-champs.

It was a lot of waiting and anxiety – but in the end, it was the same for both teams.

Freshman Matt Kern came on in relief of starter Erik Baeur Saturday night. SKIP PEARLMAN Sadly for Kennedy, it was Westhill – the defending state champion – that walked off with another state title after a 7-2 victory in a game that didn’t end until nearly midnight.

Kennedy held a 1-0 lead after the second inning – thanks to a leadoff triple by John Giordano and a sac fly by Stephen Kessler.

And the Gaels were threatening in that third inning – the Gaels had the bases loaded with two out and Giordano at the plate again – with an 0-2 count – when the game was delayed due to lightening. When play resumed well over 30 minutes later, Giordano struck out to end what was Kennedy’s last major threat of the night.

Kennedy starter and sophomore Erik Bauer stayed in after the long delay, but ran into problems in the bottom of the fourth, leading to four runs, and the Warriors never looked back.

A disappointed Kennedy team holds the state runnerup plaque Saturday night in Endicott, NY. SKIP PEARLMAN Kennedy added one run in the top of the fifth – on an RBI by JT Flanagan that scored Boomer Odell, who had tripled - to make it a 4-2 game.

But Westhill pushed another run across in the bottom of the frame against Kennedy freshman pitcher Matt Kern, and the Warriors (22-5) plated two more in the sixth against sophomore Oscar Giret.

It was the end of a sterling season for Kennedy, which closed at 23-5.

“The kids played hard, they scraped and they fought,” JFK manager Bob Fletcher said. “But our inexperience on the mound against a quality team like that hurt us. I think the rain delay hurt Erik… he was in a groove. He’s been our strongest starter after Tom (Baroni). But he wasn’t the same after the delay. He lost a bit of his rhythm, and he was getting the ball up a bit. It’s very difficult to play a position (Bauer plays third) and pitch – all in the same day. But he’s such a good athlete… we tried to take advantage of that.”

Kennedy's Stephen Kessler drove in a run with this sac fly in Saturday night's state championship game. SKIP PEARLMAN Mike McMullen got the win for Westhill, in relief of starter Corey Hewitt, who did not return after the weather delay. Bauer (6-2) took the loss.

Flanagan and Kessler each finished with one RBI, Remy Fields went 2-for- 3, and Giordano and Odell each had a triple for Kennedy.

No. 9 hitter Greg Schmidt had two RBI to lead the Warriors.

“It’s disappointing,” Fletcher said of the loss. “You have to be good, and lucky. But we got beat by a better team. They had depth in pitching, they played very good defense, and they got hitting. We knew experience would be a key factor.

“But we’ve had a great ride, a tremendous season,” Fletcher added. “They went above and beyond expectations. They never quit. The combination of seniors, juniors and sophomores really bonded well together, and I hope the younger players can take that to the next level.”

Kennedy reached the state final thanks to a 4-2 victory over Saratoga Catholic earlier Saturday, at NYSEG Stadium.

Senior left-hander Tom Baroni pitched a five-hit gem, striking out 12 with no walks and holding Saratoga scoreless until the seventh. That win lifted Baroni to 12-1 this season, and put him at 17-1 in his varsity career.

“I was feeling really good,” Baroni said of making what would be his last high school start. “I definitely felt like I had a little extra on my fastball.”

The Gaels leave the field moments after falling to Westhill in the Class B state championship game Saturday night. SKIP PEARLMAN Kennedy went up early, plating two runs in the first on RBI from Flanagan (double) and Giordano (2-for-3). Bauer drove in a run in the fifth, and went 2-for-4, and Boomer Odell went 2-for-2 with a double. Fields scored on a sixth-inning error.

“Tom was overpowering,” Fletcher said. “That’s uncharacteristic of Tom… He had some extra pop, and great control. He threw strike after strike. And those first-inning runs were huge. Bauer hit the ball well, and those two runs gave us confidence. When Tom is on the mound, two or three runs is usually enough. And Flanagan may have saved the game with an outstanding catch in the seventh inning… Smith, Odell, Flanagan and Bauer and Giordano have all had a tremendous playoffs, the whole team has really come through.”

Remy Fields gets the force at second, and throws to first for double play, as Westhill's Kevin McAvoy slides. SKIP PEARLMAN The Gaels opened the week by beating South Hampton (LI champ), 9-5, in the state quarterfinal the prior Tuesday at Manhattanville College.

Bauer picked up the win for Kennedy, and went 2-for-4 with three RBI.

Giordano and Fields (2-for-3) each had two RBI, Smith drove in one and went 2-for-3 with a double, Flanagan had one RBI, and Ryan Patterson tripled and went 2-for-4. Mike Ennis went 2-for-3 in the win.