BINGHAMTON — Postseason heartbreak again for Oneonta Friday night in the NYSPHAA Class B final four.
After shutting down Section I champion Putnam Valley for six innings at Binghamton’s Mirabito Stadium, the Tigers pushed two runs across in the bottom of the seventh inning to stun Oneonta, 2-1 and advance to Saturday’s title game.
The Yellowjackets, who lost in the quarterfinals in 2024, were looking for the first Class B title since 2012. They end the season 22-4 with their first final four appearance since the title in 2012. Putnman Valley (21-4) will meet Babylon, 5-4 winners over Mechanicville, in Saturday’s final.
Oneonta, which had won five in a row and 12 of 13, got another terrific start from Nolan Stark. Stark held the Tigers without a hit until the seventh, but eventually, runners left on base doomed the Yellowjackets.
Oneonta failed to take advantage of a rash of walks (nine between two pitchers) and errors (four) from the Tigers.
Following a strikeout to open the game, Oneonta loaded the bases on three consecutive walks from Tiger starter Nicky Benedetto in the top of the first. Benedetto got consecutive strikeouts to end the threat.
The Yellowjackets loaded the bases again in the third on a pair of hit batters and another of Benedetto’s seven walks. Benedetto got another two-out strikeout to end the inning.
Oneonta finally broke through in the top of the fifth. Maddox Imperato walked with one out and went to second on an error. With two outs, Imoperato came home on a double-steal that turned into an error — one of two in the inning for the Tigers — to make it 1-0.
Stark almost made the lone run stand up, throwing six no-hit innings.
But in the bottom of the seventh, Ryan Dinizo singled to lead off the inning, the first hit surrendered by Stark. Dinizo moved to second on a sacrifice bunt and pinchrunner Evan Peterson went to third on a one-out single by Aaron Pierre. The tying run scored on an error, with James Sanford driving in the game-winner on another infield error to close out the rally.
Stark with the distance for Oneonta, scattering three hits, all in the seventh inning, while fanning six.