Lyndonville rallies for narrow D1 semi win

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Lyndonville’s Eric Neace slides into home with the go ahead run during the Tigers narrow sectional win over Alfred-Almond this afternoon at Genesee Community College.

No. 2 seed Lyndonville rallied to nip No. 3 Alfred-Almond 4-3 in the semifinal round of the Section V Class D1 baseball playoffs this afternoon at Genesee Community College.

Mike Wells provided the big blast for Lyndonville as he banged out a three-run double down the left field line with two out in the fifth inning to turn a 3-1 deficit into a 4-3 Tigers lead.

Corey Hydock bangs out an RBI single in the first inning for the Tigers.

A two-out double by Jacob Hoffee followed by a walk and a hit batter had loaded the bases to set up the threat.

Hoffee, who had a total of 3 hits on the day, also hit a double to lead off the game and came home with the Tigers first run on an RBI single by Corey Hydock.

Alfred-Almond tied the game at 1-1 in the third inning on a two-out single by Will Tormey.

The Eagles then grabbed a 3-1 lead by scoring twice in the fourth on a single by Attilo Cushing and a squeeze bunt by Tristan Yogum.

Hoffee, who pitched the first four and one-third innings got out of further trouble with a clutch inning ending strikeout.  Wells came on to pitch the final two and two-thirds innings.

Lyndonville got out a jam in the fifth on a fly out to Nolan Donald in center and a ground out to Cody Bentley at second as the Eagles left runners stranded at second and third.

The Tigers defense then came up with a big double play from Bentley  to Eric Neace at first in the sixth inning.

Wells then faced only four batters in the seventh as he closed out with narrow win with a strikeout, a groundout to Bentley and a popup to the mound.

Improvng to 15-2, Lyndonville next faces the winner of the No. 1 Fillmore vs. No. 5 Honeoye semi in the D1 championship game on Thursday at a site to be determined.