LEGION BASEBALL: HILLCREST POST 1194, FEATURING FOUR WAVERLY PLAYERS, WINS DISTRICT 6 TITLE, GOES 2-2 AT STATES (July 30, 2026)

Valley Sports Report
PENFIELD, N.Y. —  After winning the District 6 championship, the Binghamton-based Hillcrest Post 1194 baseball team, which features four Waverly players, went 2-2 in the New York State American Legion Senior Division Baseball playoffs.

Hillcrest overcame a 1-0 deficit to Oneonta Green Wave Post 259 in the District 6 championship series by rallying to win the series in three games, then reached the consolation bracket semifinals at States before being eliminated.

The Hillcrest team features players from Susquehanna Valley to Horseheads, including Waverly's Jack Pipher, Porter Daddona, Sam Cheresnowsky, and Ronin Ault, who did not play in the postseason.

All 12 of the seniors on the Hillcrest team will be playing college ball in the fall, including Ault at Finger Lakes CC, and Daddona at SUNY Niagara.

District 6 Championship series
Oneonta Green Wave 7, Hillcrest 6
Hillcrest scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to rally for a 6-5 lead, but the Green Wave scored twice in the home half to pull out a 7-6 walk-off win in the first game of the series.

Pipher singled and scored one run, and Daddona added a single, while Cheresnowsky worked a walk.

Elmira's Aedan Palmer, a Division I commit to LeMoyne College, had three hits, including a home run, to pace Hillcrest's offense.

Daddona was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs on two hits and one walk in 1 1/3 innings of relief.

Hillcrest 15, Green Wave 3
Hillcrest opened the game with five runs in the bottom of the first, then put the game away with 10 runs in the fourth inning on its way to a 15-3 five-inning win to even the series.

Pipher singled, scored one run, drove in one run, and stole two bases for Hillcrest, while Elmira's Logan Palmer had two hits, including a home run, and five RBI, and Aedan Palmer also homered to lead the offense.

Horseheads' Chase Mashanic pitched a complete-game to earn the win.

Hillcrest 14, Green Wave 10
Hillcrest led throughout the game, but needed four runs in the top of the seventh to pull out a 14-10 decision to win the District 6 title.

Hillcrest led 6-1 after two innings, then scored twice in the top of the fourth to take an 8-6 lead. They led 10-7 entering the bottom of the sixth, but Oneonta scored three times to tie the game.

Pipher doubled, stole two bases and scored three runs in the win, and Cheresnowsky also stole two bases.

Logan Palmer homered twice and had seven RBI and Chenango Valley's Thom Whitman doubled and singled and drove in two runs.

Pipher earned the win on the mound, allowing three runs — one earned — on two hits in 2 2/3 innings, while striking out four and walking four.

Daddona registered the save, striking out two, while walking one and allowing one hit in two-thirds inning of scoreless relief.

New York State Legion Senior Division Tournament
Opening Round
Hillcrest 8, Clinton County Mariners 4
Hillcrest scored early and never trailed in an 8-4 win over Clinton County in the opening round of the Senior Division state playoffs.

Pipher had three hits, including a double, scored two run, stole one base, and had three RBI to pace Hillcrest's eight-hit attack.

Daddona closed out the game with an inning of scoreless relief.

Winner's Bracket semifinals
Kingston-Saugerties 3, Hillcrest 2
Kingston-Saugerties scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to pull out a 3-2 walk-off win over Hillcrest in the winner's bracket semifinals.

Hillcrest scored twice in the top of the sixth inning to take a 2-1 lead,  but a costly error in the bottom of the seventh helped K-S plate the winning run.

Mashanic was tagged with the loss, allowing three runs — one earned — on four hits in 6 1/3 innings. He fanned five and walked two.

Consolation Bracket
Hillcrest 8, Blue Sox 5
Hillcrest scored a run in the top of the fifth inning to break a tie, then added two runs in the sixth in an 8-5 win over the Blue Sox in consolation bracket action.

Pipher singled, stole one base, and drove in a run in the win, while Logan Palmer had three hits, including a double, and two RBI, and Aedan Palmer doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in one run.

Susquehanna Valley's Kasey Coleman also had three hits and one RBI in the win.

Pipher walked three and struck out one in a scoreless inning of relief, and Daddona walked three, allowed one hit, and struck out two in two-thirds inning of scoreless relief.

Cottreal-Warner 15, Hillcrest 3
Hillcrest got on the board first with a run in the bottom of the first, but Cottreal-Warner took the lead for good with four runs in the second inning on its way to a 15-3 six-inning win in the consolation bracket semifinals.

Pipher singled and scored a run for Hillcrest, while Chenango Forks' Andrew Bunker was 3-for-3 with a run scored, and Aedan Palmer blasted a solo home run.

Daddona was tagged with the loss, allowing four runs — two earned — in 1 1/3 innings on one hit and four walks. He struck out one.

Hillcrest wrapped up its summer season at 17-8.

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PHOTO PROVIDED.

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