SYRACUSE 鈥 It鈥檚 hard to imagine that in a game as important as a sectional championship that a turning point would come so early.
For the Auburn baseball team鈥檚 ace pitcher Steve Komanecky, it came with just one out in the bottom of the first inning.
The senior appeared to be struggling already, giving up two walks against the first three batters he faced before his defensive skills gave the Maroons a quick pick-me-up.
Liverpool鈥檚 Mike Parsons lined out to Komanecky, who alertly picked off Alex Caruso at second base. The double play perked up Auburn, who was already ahead 2-0, and carried the Maroons to an 7-2 victory and their first Section III, Class AA title in three consecutive tries Wednesday at Alliance Bank Stadium. No. 17 state-ranked听 Auburn will play the Section II winner at 7 p.m. Monday at the College of St. Rose in Albany.
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鈥淗onestly I don鈥檛 know how I caught that ball but that was a big momentum shifter,鈥 Komanecky said. 鈥淲hen I first saw it, it looked like it was going to be a hit and drive in two runs. I stuck my glove out and you get lucky some times.鈥
Komanecky would end up no-hitting the No. 6 state-ranked Warriors through four innings. He gave up two hits through 6 1-3 innings, walking five. 鈥淗e鈥檚 had some mechanical issues, it鈥檚 not a secret 鈥 he鈥檚 had some walks this year,鈥 said Auburn coach TJ Gamba. 鈥淗e鈥檚 been aggressive around the plate and that鈥檚 all we ask of him. Do your best, go get yourself around the strike zone and be a pitcher, not a thrower.鈥 听
While Komanecky mastered the mound, the Maroons鈥 offense had no problem at the plate. Second-seeded Auburn took a 4-0 lead after two innings, jumping all over top-seeded Liverpool ace Pat Brown, pelting him for seven hits and as many runs before Matt O鈥橩ipney entered in relief.
鈥淲e really executed today,鈥 Gamba said. 鈥淲e probably had six, seven hit-and-runs. We bunted the ball with first and second, we played small ball and executed that.鈥
The Maroons scored all of their runs in the first five innings, putting up three in the top of the fifth to put the Warriors away. Auburn batted around in the frame, which was started by a Komanecky double and aided by the last of three Liverpool errors.
鈥淚t kept things going for us,鈥 Gamba said of the errors. 鈥淲e kind of try to put the ball in play and put pressure on teams. We鈥檙e not the kind of team that鈥檚 going to pound the gaps three, four times in a row.鈥
The Warriors were able to get to Komanecky in the bottom of the fifth, as Andrew Schreyack broke up the no-hitter with a leadoff double. He was driven home by Corbin Gapski who later scored on a Luke Fishetti RBI. Two fly-outs ended the inning, but Komanecky got in trouble in the bottom of the seventh after he walked two with one out. Gamba opted to bring in Andrew Sanders, who retired Fishetti and Brown in order to send the Maroons to states.
Komanecky (double) and Tim Locastro paced Auburn with two hits and an RBI. Trevor Doan had a hit and an RBI for the Maroons, while Bobby Gage and Luke Christiantelli had RBIs and Tim Smith and Mike Ferlenda added hits.
After two failed tries the last two seasons against Utica Proctor and Cicero-North Syracuse, respectively, Wednesday鈥檚 win was especially sweet.
鈥淭he last two times we played here, we came in a little too tense, a little nervous,鈥 Komanecky said. 鈥淭oday we just decided to come out and have fun, play the game, play Auburn baseball and it worked out for us.鈥
鈥淚t鈥檚 been something that鈥檚 been eating at us a little bit,鈥 Gamba said. 鈥淎ll the graduated players have been texting us and calling us for the last couple days, since Saturday 鈥 (We鈥檝e) probably have had 50-plus players call us and say 鈥楪o get 鈥檈m,鈥 and 鈥榃e鈥檙e with you.鈥
鈥淭hey get a piece of this also.鈥
The 2010 title also comes on the 25th anniversary of Auburn鈥檚 1985 state baseball championship.
鈥淲e鈥檝e kind of recognized that a little bit amongst ourselves and to those players this year,鈥 Gamba said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we strive for. Because of those people and all the hard work that has been put in to our town 鈥 our community supports athletics very well.
鈥淭his is a small town win. We like to share that with everybody and we feel like we do.鈥
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Maroons 听听听 听 7
Warriors 听听听 听 2
