Valley Sports ReportBINGHAMTON — Chenango Valley rallied from three runs down in the home half of the seventh, then finished off its come-from-behind, 4-3, win over Waverly in the bottom of the eighth inning to force a winner-take-all Game 3 in the Section IV, Class A baseball playoffs here Wednesday afternoon.
"This is what's great about three-game series in Sectionals, any team can win at any moment," said Waverly coach Kyle McDuffee.
The Wolverines swept the three-game regular-season series against the Warriors, and beat CV, 4-2, in Game 1 on Monday.
"It’s hard to beat a team in any sport five straight times," said McDuffee.
"It's a big game Friday and we will be ready," he added.
The Wolverines drew first blood with two runs in the top of the fourth inning.
Sophomore Jack Pipher led off with a line-drive single into centerfield. After Pipher stole second, senior Ronin Ault hit a ground ball single into left field to put runners on first and third.
After an intentional walk to junior Matthias Welles loaded the bases, junior Justin Koenig stroked a line-drive two-RBI single up the middle to make it 2-0.
Ault preserved the 2-0 lead with six innings of two-hit ball.
Waverly added an insurance run in the top of the seventh inning when senior Hogan Shaw reached on a two-out error, stole second, and then stole third and scored when the throw ended up in left field.
CV opened the bottom of the seventh with a base on balls, and two singles to close the gap to 3-1, but had a runner thrown out at third base.
Pipher relieved Ault, and CV added another RBI single to trim the deficit to 3-2.
After a strikeout, CV added a single to put runners on second and third with two outs, then tied the game on a balk.
Waverly was retired in order in the top of eighth inning, and CV quickly loaded the bases in the home half of the frame on two singles, sandwiched around a hit batter.
The Wolverines pulled one of their outfielders into the infield, and with one out, the move paid off, but the throw home was wide, allowing CV to score the winning run.
Pipher singled twice and scored one run to pace Waverly's five-hit attack, while Koenig singled and drove in two runs, Ault singled and scored one run, and senior Daltton Davis added a single.
Ault allowed two runs on four hits in 6 1/3 innings in a no-decision. He fanned 10 and walked five.
Pipher was tagged with the loss, allowing two runs — one earned — on four hits, with two strikeouts and no walks in one inning of relief.
Waverly will host the decisive Game Three Friday at 5:30 p.m.
