’Pac Falls Just Short of Title in 10-9 Thriller

MAHOPAC—The Mahopac nineyear old WPBA baseball team did just about everything it wanted to do in the league’s playoff tournament last week, pulling off two upsets in ousting the No. 1 and No. 3 seeds on the way to the championship round. But the Indians’ title run came to an end in Saturday’s final at Lakeland High School, when No. 2 seed Lewisboro broke a tie in the bottom of the sixth inning with a two-out, titleclinching RBI single, good for a 10-9 walkoff victory.

Mahopac shortstop Tom Krasniqi puts the tag on Lewisboro runner, who is safe at second. SKIP PEARLMAN Mahopac, the No. 8 seed, had tied the game at 9-9 in the top of the sixth, when Christian Zefi - who reached on an error, advanced to second when Jackson Schaier walked, and got to third on a wild pitch - scored on an error.

That set the stage for Lewisboro’s final at-bat. Lewisboro put runners on second and third with no outs, before Zefi (pitching in relief) struck out the next two batters. That left it up to Joe Biancone, who came through with a clean single that plated the game-winning run, giving Lewisboro the title.

Right: Mahopac’s Zack Puckhaber delivers in the WPBA nine-year-old championship game Saturday at Lakeland High School. Far Right: Lewisboro’s Joe Biancone slides home safe, as Mahopac catcher Greg Patti applies late tag. Biancone had two RBI, including the game-winner, and was also the winning pitcher. Biancone finished with two RBI for Lewisboro (17-4), and was also the winning pitcher for his team.

Zefi took the loss for Mahopac, which closed a solid summer season at 14-7.

“We did what we wanted to do,” Mahopac coach Mark Krasniqi said. “We wanted to score runs first and put pressure on them. We just couldn’t keep it on.”

Mahopac applied pressure early, pushing five runs home in the top of the first inning.

But Lewisboro answered with a run in the first, then grabbed a 6-5 lead after rallying for five runs in the second. A three-run third pushed Lewisboro’s lead to 9-5.

But Mahopac wasn’t finished. The Indians rallied for three runs in the top of the fourth, and managed to even matters at 9-9 in the sixth.

“The boys just never gave up,” Krasniqi said. “I asked them to bend, not break, and they did that.”

Mahopac drew motivation from a loss to this same Lewisboro team just a few weeks earlier, an uncharacteristic game where the Indians were routed and lost by mercy rule.

“Lewisboro beat us pretty good a couple weeks ago,” Krasniqi said. “So it was nice to come back and give them a game. We had a bitter taste in our mouth.”

Mahopac coach Mark Krasniqi talks strategy with his infield late in Saturday’s game. SKIP PEARLMAN But the Indians were unable to fin- ish the job. “The kids were disappointed,” Krasniqi said. “But if you’re gonna lose, this is the way… we had our best pitcher on the mound, and he kept us in it. I couldn’t ask for more.”

Zefi finished with two RBI, Justin Munoz, Nick Guistino and Zack Puckhaber each drove in a run, and Aidan Madden tripled for Mahopac. Puckhaber was also the starting pitcher, and Ryan Moloney also pitched in relief.

“Offensively, Tom Krasniqi and Christian have been good all year,” the coach said. “Guistino has come around offensively and defensively, and Jackson Schaier did a nice job for us coming in at catcher.”

Mahopac reached the final by edging No. 3 seed Bedford, 6-5, in last Thursday’s semifinal at Bedford Park.

Nick Giustino had an RBI in Mahopac’s loss to Lewisboro. SKIP PEARLMAN Schaier picked up the win on the mound for Mahopac.

Zefi drove in the game-winning run with an RBI single in the fifth inning that plated Krasniqi.

Puckhaber, Guistino, Schaeir and Krasniqi each had one RBI, and Munoz doubled in the win.

The Indians upset top-seeded Lagrange, 13-5, one day earlier in Lagrange, with Krasniqi earning the win on the mound.

Mahopac again came out strong, pushing six runs home in the first inning and never looking back.

Schaier went 2-for-4 with two RBI, Zefi was 2-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBI, Drew Riolo had two RBI, Krasniqi went 2-for-3 with two doubles and one RBI, Puckhaber drove in two runs, and Munoz, Guistino and Ryan Moloney each had an RBI.

“After losing to them earlier, the kids came out ready to play,” Krasniqi said. “We took it to them from the beginning. Our offense came ready – not intimidated by facing the No. 1 seed. Everyone hit and contributed. Overall, I think that was the best baseball they played all year. I knew the kids had it in them, and they made me proud to be their coach. I’m proud of all of them.” BASEBALL

Mahopac’s Aidan Madden connects on a triple, and came home on a throwing error on the same play, in Saturday’s championship game. SKIP PEARLMAN MAHOPAC 13

Lagrange 05

MAHOPAC 6

Bedford 5

MAHOPAC 9 Lewisboro 10
Jackson Schaier drove in two runs and went 2-for-4 in Mahopac’s upset win over top seed Lagrange. SKIP PEARLMAN
Mahopac players watch the action from the dugout Saturday at Lakeland High School. SKIP PEARLMAN