SUNY COBLESKILL BASEBALL TAKES THREE OF FOUR AWAITS PLAY-OFF BID

The SUNY Cobleskill baseball team took three of four weekend contests traveling to Utica, NY on Friday evening to split a pair of games with Mountain Valley Conference rival Mohawk Valley Community College winning the first game 5-2 before dropping the nightcap 4-3. Then on Saturday Cobleskill swept Clinton Community College at home by scores of 12-0 and 7-2. The weekend’s action closes out the regular portion of the season for the Fighting Tigers and gives Cobleskill an 18-16 overall record with a 15-5 mark versus Region III Division III opponents and moves the program’s final Mountain Valley Conference record to 12-4 on the year.

On Friday, senior pitcher Mike Disarno, Grand Island, NY, Grand Island High School, held the Hawks in check going the distance for his third win of the season striking out four while holding MVCC to only four hits. For the Fighting Tigers offensively, first baseman Matt Young, Delmar, NY, Bethlehem High School, went 2-for-4 with two runs scored while senior catcher Tyler Hibsch, Strykersville, NY, Pioneer High School, was 2-for-3 with two RBI in the contest. Senior shortstop Ron Smalling, Bellport, NY, Longwood High School, also contributed in the win with a 2-for-3 performance with two runs driven in.

For the day Matt Young was 4-for-6 with three runs scored and an RBI while Tyler Hibsch was 3-for-6 with three RBI for the Fighting Tigers. Freshman outfielder Adam Cernauskus, Cobleskill, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, also turned in a solid day with the stick going 2-for-7 with an RBI and a run scored.

Against Clinton the Fighting Tiger offense exploded needing only five innings to put the Cougars away highlighted by Adam Cernauskus’s prodigious fifth inning walk-off three-run homer that hit high on the scoreboard in left field and ended the contest via the 10-run rule. Cernauskus ended the contest going 2-for-4 with three RBI and closed out the day’s action with a 4-for-6 effort including a second game triple. Playing third base, Mike Disarno also turned in an impressive performance going 2-for-4 in game one then following it up with a 3-for-4, two RBI performance in game two. Tyler Hibsch also experienced a fine game at the plate in game one going 2-for-3  with a triple and two RBI as did Matt Young who went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Senior lefty Matt Aker, Nelliston, NY, Fort Plain High School, allowed the Cougars only four hits while striking out two, walking no one and hitting one batter on his way to the shutout. It was Aker’s third consecutive victory for Cobleskill during which the crafty southpaw has surrendered only two earned runs in 16 innings of work.

In the nightcap freshman Kyle Claypool, Arcade, NY, Pioneer High School, went the distance for the Fighting Tigers striking out five closing out the game in dramatic fashion by fanning Cougar center fielder Nick Larche with runners on second and third and two outs.

Ron Smalling contributed and RBI on a fielder’s choice to the second game victory totals as did senior second baseman Roger Smith, Warnerville, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, who drove in a run with a bases loaded second inning walk.

With the team assured its first winning overall season since 1995 and the best NJCAA Region III Division III record in program history, at 15-5, the Fighting Tiger faithful now look to the real prospect of their team’s first post season appearance since 1995. Fighting Tiger first-year Head Coach Bill Makarowski is of the opinion that the fan’s long wait is over and that a home game may be in the cards for Cobleskill.
 
“We played well this weekend and I think we accomplished what we needed to do to impress the selection committee,” said the Fighting Tiger mentor. “We will now wait for the committee to determine the tournament bids and seeding and hopefully we’ll be playing at home on Tuesday afternoon. Our kids have worked hard all season towards this and I think we’re definitely earned it.”

The NJCAA Region III Tournament is an eight-team event with the quarterfinal round to be played at the higher seeds home field on Tuesday May 9th. Tuesday’s four winning teams will then advance to the double elimination championship round to be hosted by Hudson Valley Community College in Troy, NY at Joe Bruno Stadium beginning on Friday May 12th and running through Sunday May 14th.

TIGER NOTES: The Fighting Tigers’ season mark of 18-16 ties the program record for the most wins in a season with the Fighting Tigers’ 1979 NJCAA Region III championship team which closed the year 18-7 under head coach John Price. Cobleskill’s last Region III Tournament appearance saw the number eight seeded Fighting Tigers finish as the tournament’s runner-up and close the season with a 14-9 overall record under head coach John Price. Cobleskill’s 12-4 Mountain Valley Conference record is the best mark in league play in program history. Adam Cernauskus has now belted four home runs on the season for the Fighting Tigers. Coach Makarowski’s 18-16 record, to date, ranks him fourth on the career win list and gives him the most wins by a Fighting Tiger Head Coach in their inaugural season. Pitcher Matt Aker’s sister Amanda is a member of the Fighting Tiger Women’s Outdoor Track & Field program and has qualified for the NJCAA Division III National Championships in the 100 Meter & 400 Meter Hurdles. Since returning from their southern trip 0-10 the Fighting Tigers have posted an 18-6 overall record.