JOHNSTOWN – The Region 3 baseball playoffs begin this weekend, and the Raiders moved closer to a playoff berth with two wins on Tuesday. The FM Nine swept the Twins of Columbia-Greene CC 19-4 and 8-4.
The 2014 Raiders have talent and depth, and both their talent and depth were on display against the Twins. Pitcher Dennis Buckley proved again that he is a gifted, complete ballplayer. Meanwhile, the team had to cope with their starting catcher and cleanup hitter, Andrew Houser, being out nursing a wrist injury. Tim Gordon was called on to fill in for Houser, and Gordon did the job nicely.
Photo: Christopher Rockefeller signals Dennis Buckley to stay up while scoring
Game One
A strong wind was blowing out to right-center field, and thick clouds rolled through often, but both teams handled the conditions well.
The visitors scored a run in the top of the first inning, but the Raiders stormed back with three runs in the home half of the inning and four more runs in the second frame. The key hit in the first inning was James Waters' hard double to left that brought in two Raider runs.
The big hit in the second inning was by pitcher Buckley, who was also batting in the cleanup spot. Gregory Mosetti was the runner on third, Chris Rockefeller was on second, and Gregory Ruddy was on first when Buckley stepped into the batter's box. Twins hurler Matt Dallas tried to beat Buckley with a fastball, but Raider Buckley put a sweet swing on it and sent it over the fence in right-center. That grand slam home run gave FM a 7-1 lead.
Photo: Dennis Buckley is greeted at home after his grand slam
FM plated five more runs in the third inning. Kristjan Maksuti and Jason Roth singled. Catcher Gordon drove them both home with a double down the left field line. (See photo at the bottom of this page.) Rockefeller brought in Gordon with a single to right. Ruddy then lashed a triple to right, driving in Rockefeller.
The game was shortened to five innings by the run rule. Dennis Buckley pitched the first four innings and had a memorable day at the plate. Buckley singled, hit the grand slam, doubled, and walked. Reliever James Holmes pitched the final inning.
CG 102 01 4-6-2
FM 345 7x 19-14-0
Dallas, Mead (4) and Cardinale; Buckley, Holmes (5), and Gordon, Chrisman (5)
Game Two
Head Coach Dave Hennessey handed the ball to southpaw Sam Flood. Flood and his teammates set the Twins down in order in the first inning.
Mosetti and Ruddy singled in the bottom of the first. Buckley was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Mosetti scored on a wild pitch. FM led 1-0.
The Raiders stopped the Twins with a twin killing in the second. With a runner on first, Flood fielded a comebacker and fired to Ruddy for the force at second. Ruddy gunned it to Waters at first for the double play. Flood struck out the final Columbia-Greene batter.
FM scored half a dozen in the third inning. The Raiders hit three singles and took advantage of walks and hit batsmen to score the six runs.
Reliever Holmes saw action again in Game Two. The tall senior pitched the seventh inning and secured the win.
Photo: James Holmes on the mound and James Waters on first base
The two wins moved FM closer to a playoff berth. Four of the nine teams in eastern Region 3 and four of the eight western teams will be in the playoffs. FM's 12-8 record in regional play has them in a good position to make the playoffs. They can assure themselves of a berth with a win on Thursday. The Raiders will host Herkimer on Thursday, with the first pitch at 2:00 p.m.
CG 001 120 0 4-5-1
FM 106 100 x 8-7-1
Stanczuk, Winters (5) and Cardinale; Flood, Holmes (7), and Gordon
C.J. Bonny, website writer
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Photo: Tim Gordon strokes a two-run double down the line in Game One
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