by Warren Kozireski
With his team trailing 4-3 after two innings, Churchville-Chili’s Kevin VanDongen pitched seven shutout innings and drove in the winning run in the ninth to lead the Saints to a 5-4 nine-inning victory over Irondequoit in first round Section V baseball playoff action.
Irondequoit led 2-0 in the first inning before the Saints got one back on an RBI single by Anthony Bertolani to drive in Greg VanDongen. The Eagles then made it 4-1 plating two more runs in the second.
The Saints again pulled back in their half of the second started by a one-out triple by Drew Scharney and walks to Troy Taladay and Greg VanDongen to load the bases. Bertolani again delivered with a two-out single to drive in two runs.
Kevin VanDongen then came on to pitch for the Saints and was masterful allowing only one base-runner to reach scoring position, three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters over his seven innings of work.
The Saints were finally able to tie the game in the bottom of the seventh with Greg VanDongen leading off with a single followed by a bunt single from Jimmy Latona with VanDongen moving to third on a throwing error. He came on to score on a Bertolani RBI groundout sending the game into extra innings.
After C-C failed to convert on a bases-loaded, no out situation in the eighth, they again loaded them in the ninth on a leadoff double off the right-center field wall by Latona, a walk to Bertolani and an infield single by Steve Schworm. Kevin VanDongen then laced his game-winning single down the left field line scoring Latona.
Churchville-Chili advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class AA playoff bracket to play top-seed Victor.
