Kendall Eagles look to finish their B.o.B goal

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Vinnie D’Agostino, left, and Nic Cole will lead Kendall into the state Final Four beginning Friday at Binghamton.

Every since the first day of practice the focus and the goal of the Kendall varsity baseball squad has been on one thing – making the state baseball tournament Final Four at Binghamton.

It is a goal that all of the players are reminded of every day as it is sewn onto the back of their caps in big letters – B.o.B – Binghamton or Bust.

The Eagles have realized that goal of getting to Binghamton as Kendall will face Ticonderoga (Section VII) in the state Class C semifinal at 10 a.m. Friday at Mirabito Stadium.

The victor will advance to Saturday’s 1 p.m. Class C championship game at Mirabito against the winner of the other semifinal between Saratoga Central Catholic (Section II) and Tuckahoe (Section I).

“That was our goal at the beginning of the year to get to Binghamton and we’re not done,” said Coach Tige Noni. “We’re on a roll and the mometum is in our favor. Now we just have to finish the job. For this team to win the states would mean the world to our community.”

Kendall advanced to the state semis by edging Beaver River (Section III) 1-0 in the Regional while Ticonderoga downed Tupper Lake (Section X) 10-3.

The Eagles bring a 23-2 record into the semis while the Sentinels ar 14-6.

“Everybody there is going to be good,” said Noni. “You don’t get to the state semifinals without having a good team so we know it will be a very competitive game.”

The Eagles lineup includes Nic Cole (pitcher/first base), Vinnie D’Agostino (pitcher/third base), Andrew D’Agostino (catcher), CJ D’Agostino (first bae/pitcher), Jonny Conte (second base), Sammy Conte (shortstop), Jacob Abrams (leftfield), Mikey Colucci (centerfield), Andrew Cole (rightfield/third base) and Luca D’Agostino (rightfield).

This will be just Kendall’s second trip to the state semifinals. In their only other appearance the Eagles lost 9-3 to Greenwich in 1999.