ports it « *»**<**»! Arts Economopoulos/Photo intem Todd Hardy of DeSales attempts to pick-off Prattsburg's Nate Loesch during the Section 5 Class D final at Silver Stadium June 13. DeSales runs its sectional streak to five Prattsburg added a run in the fifth for a 9-6 score. The Saints' final run Saints overcome Prattsburg; came in the seventh on an RBI single by second baseman Jeremiah McGrath earn Class D championship with — once again — two outs. Although the Vikings' Brian Putnam and Chris Robbins led off Prattsburg's By Mike Latona half of the seventh with singles, Staff writer Sweeney held Prattsburg to just one ROCHESTER — Other than the fact more run. that they walked away with yet an­ "The heat got to me early (tempera­ other sectional trophy, you won't see tures climbed into the mid-80s), and much similarity between this and past (iival Prattsburg hits and runs well," admit­ DeSales High School baseball teams. If! ted Sweeney, who allowed 10 hits. And that suits the 1992 Saints just DeSales finished with eight hits off fine. the Vikings' Putnam. "Not many people believed in us, The win marked a successful return except ourselves/' remarked pitcher to the Class D playoffs for DeSales, Bill Sweeney. which competed in Class C in 1991. "This is the best by far. We weren't Right fielder Mark Higgins makes a The Saints also won sectional crowns expected to do this," added shortstop late-game catch for the Saints in the in Class D in 1989 and 1990, as well as Todd Hardy. win over No. 3 Prattsburg. Class C in 1988. Sweeney and Hardy, both third-year Interestingly, the June 13 finals mat­ seniors, were guiding forces down the Colburn Park. ched two defending sectional champi­ stretch as DeSales captured its fifth Although the Saints have now ons: Prattsburg was the reigning Class consecutive Section 5 championship. lengthened their amazing string of sec­ Pitcher Bill Sweeney celebrates D title holder. The Saints outlasted Prattsburg, 10-7, tional crowns, back in April there was DeSales* fifth consecutive Section 5 However, DeSales almost never in the Class D finals this past Saturday, no guarantee of a successful season championship after the Saints made it that far because of a strong June 13, at Silver Stadium. after DeSales had graduated many key defeated Prattsburg, 10-7. The top- effort from upset-minded Gananda. The Geneva-based school, seeded players from last year's champion. seed in Class D, DeSales won its The Saints were blanked for five in No. 1 in Class D, won its last 13 games "The last two years we were so tal­ last 13 games of the season to fin­ nings by the Blue Panthers' Ryan Aller of the season to finish with a 16-2 re­ ented from one through nine. This year ish with a record of 16-2. (who finished with 13 strikeouts in 6 cord. DeSales had advanced to the sec­ we didn't know what to expect," Vi innings), and Gananda broke a 0-0 tional finals by defeating 16th-seeded Sweeney admitted. for a battle in the win over No. 3 tie when it scored its only run in the Mount Morris and No. 8 Whitesville Yet Coach Pete French said, "When Prattsburg. Sw jeney, who had allowed bottom of the fifth. before scoring a 3-1 semifinal win over you're given no chance, it helps." a total of three runs in the three pre­ DeSales answered right back in the No. 13 Gananda on June 9 at Newark's DeSales quickly found that it was in vious sectional wins — including a no- hit shutout against Whitesville and a sixth when Sweeney hit a run-scoring three-hitter against Gananda — sur­ triple to deep center field and came rendered two runs to Prattsburg in home after a throwing error on the Notre Dame doubles team falls both the first and third innings. play. But DeSales, batting first matched First baseman Chris Lamson picked in state tournament competition that run production and never fell be­ up an insurance run in the seventh WHITE PLAINS — It took a big first- 6-2 to James Thaser and Nick Park hind. The Saints took advantage of when he singled and came all the way round upset to get to the state tennis from York of Section 5. three Viking errors to push across a around to score after Gananda com­ tournament and Elmira Notre Dame's "It was kind of an awakening, play­ pair of first-inning runs and scored mitted two more throwing errors re­ Peter Finnerty and Sunil Abraham ing at this level," remarked Dave Ber- two more in the third when — after a sulting from Lamson's attempted steal made a strong attempt at performing natavitz, NO'S head coach. walk to left fielder Ron Lawson — of second base. the same kind of magic once they ar­ Finnerty and Abraham had become Sweeney unloaded a home run over rived mere. eligible for state play by reaching the the right field fence's 380-foot mark. Finnerty, a senior, and Abraham, a finals of (the Section 4 state qualifier Home-run ball also favored DeSales Charities Classic set junior, put up a strong battle against held June 5 in Binghamton. The Cru­ in the fourth inning as the Saints took the state tourney's third-seeded dou­ sader pair knocked off the No. 1 seeds, the lead for good. After center fielder for Ontario June 24 bles team before getting eliminated. Andy and Ed Pan of Binghamton, in Mike Broomfield walked and right The states were held June 12-13. the opening round of that event fielder Mark Higgins reached on an er­ CANANDAIGUA — The third an­ Finnerty and Abraham, representing ror, Hardy blasted a drive to the center nual Ontario County Charities Classic Section 4, drew No. 3 seeds James Ol- This year marked the first time since field wall and galloped around the golf tournament will take place Wed­ iveres and Chris Bullaro from Syosset 1981 that Notre Dame had sent anyone bases for a three-run, inside-the-park nesday, June 24, at Centerpointe Coun­ High School (Section 8, Nassau to state competition. homer to make the score 7-4. try Club, 1940 Brickyard Road. County, Li.) in the opening tound. The Crusaders also excelled as a Both of DeSales' home runs came This year's tournament beneficiaries They led 3-2 in the first set, but lost team in 1992, going 13-2 in dual mat­ with two outs. are Ontario County Association for Re­ that set by a 6-4 score and dropped the ches and finishing second in the Sulli­ Prattsburg got one run in the bottom tarded Citizens as well as the Clifton second set, 6-2. van Trail Conference before capturing of the fourth to make it 7-5 before De- Springs, Geneva and Greater Canan- Dropping into the loser's bracket their first Section 4 Class C champi­ Sales scored twice in the fifth on yet daiguaYMCAs. Finnerty and Abraham were dealt an­ onship in eight years. another two-out hit — a two-run single For registration information, call Jim other quick defeat when they lost 6-2, —Mike Latona by Higgins. Buchanan at 716/924-5346. Thursday, June 18, 1992 . .