CHAMPLAIN — The Peru baseball team had one bad inning on Saturday — and it cost the Nighthawks dearly.
Defending NYSPHSAA Class A champion Maine-Endwell scored all its runs in the fifth inning and held off the Section VII champions, 7-4, in regional finals play and advance to the Final Four.
The Nighthawks (17-2) held a 1-0 lead through four innings, scoring a run in the second inning after two were out and nobody on. Keegan Theriault rapped a RBI hit to give Peru the lead.
Peru starting pitcher Jake Frechette was phenomenal in the first four innings as he didn’t allow a hit and struck out seven. He retired 12 of the first 13 he faced, with a walk in the first inning the Spartans’ lone base runner during that time.
“Jake put us on his back for the first four innings,” Peru coach Brian Marino said. “He made the pitches when he needed to and was keeping them off balance. They really weren’t catching up to his fastball at that point.”
But trouble then came in the fifth when the Section IV champions (13-8) took advantage of three Peru errors and rapped out seven of their nine hits in the game to score seven runs. Max Policare’s two-run double was among the big hits in the frame.
”I think it was a combination of things,” Marino said. “A few batters with two strikes, and then they just stuck the bat out there.
“And the next thing you now, three of four runs are in and we’re hanging our heads a little bit.”
Meanwhile Maine-Endwell starting and winning pitcher Sam Delorenzo held the Nighthawks to one run in six innings, despite allowing eight hits.
Delorenzo had 19 pitches remaining before reaching the pitch-count limit, but was taken out after six. Then it got interesting.
The Nighthawks pushed across runs in the inning, with Frechette, Gabe Moore and Ashtyn Catlin all getting RBI singles, to make it 7-4.
Peru had the bases loaded and the tying run on first base when the final out was recorded by strikeout.
“I’m really proud of the way the guys played today,” Marino said. “They came out and they battled.
“If it wasn’t for one inning, it could have been a different outcome. They never sat complacent or satisfied during the season, and they showed that again in the seventh inning.”
Michael Jamba was the lone Maine-Endwell player to get two hits, while seven other players added a hit each.
Frechette rapped out three hits for Peru, while Donnie Mitchell, Moore and Matt Trombley added two apiece.
The Nighthawks managed to score just four runs despite getting 13 hits. Peru had its issues on the basepaths that hurt their chances considerably.
“You know, a 17-2 record is nothing to be ashamed of,” Marino said. “One game doesn’t define our season, and we had an excellent season.
“Our seniors mean everything to this program. Donnie (Mitchell) is a four-year player and he’s the heart and soul. Ashtyn missed a year or two, came back for his senior year and I’m so glad he did for the leadership he brought to the team.”
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Maine-Endwell 7, Peru 4
M-E 000 070 0 — 7 9 0
PCS 010 000 3 — 4 13 3
Delorenzo, Jamba (7) and Little. Frechette, Whitmarsh (6) and Moore. WP- Delorenzo. LP- Frechette. 2B- Policare (M-E), Jamba (M-E), Mitchell (PCS), Kalib Smith (PCS), Moore (PCS).