Horseheads' Quest for Consecutive State Championships Concludes in Semifinal Defeat

In a tough semifinal showdown, Horseheads' hopes for back-to-back state titles were dashed as they fell to West Genesee, 5-1, in the Class AA baseball semifinals on June 12 at Binghamton's Mirabito Stadium. The West Genesee Wildcats swiftly established their dominance, scoring five runs in the first two innings.

West Genesee's senior pitcher, Colin Crinnin, delivered a strong performance, allowing just five hits throughout the game. He managed to escape a jam in the fourth and fifth innings, limiting the Blue Raiders to only one score while striking out five and issuing three walks. "I thought the kids battled," remarked Horseheads' first-year head coach Andy Scott. "We got ourselves a run, 5-1 with the bases loaded with our 3 and 4 hitter up. It just didn’t pan out today."

On the mound for Horseheads, junior right-hander Cooper Ball pitched the entire game as well. After a rocky start, giving up five runs on five hits in the initial two frames, he rallied to hold the Wildcats scoreless with just one hit over the next four innings, notching eight strikeouts along the way. "I thought Cooper did a really nice job after the second inning," Scott noted. "I went up to him and I just said, ‘Listen, you’ve got to just relax. Let’s go show what you’re made of.' He went down and he did a great job."

Horseheads managed to get on the board in the fifth inning, with AJ Sheehan driving in their only run. Dmitri Charlanow led the Blue Raiders offensively, going 2-for-2, while Beckett Doane and pinch-hitter Ryan Weigand also contributed hits. West Genesee's Nate Creaser sealed the game with a two-run single in the first inning, extending their lead after an error allowed them to score another run.

Finishing the season with a 19-8 record, Horseheads made history by reaching the state semifinals for the first time. "I thought the kids did great winning two regional games, getting here, played a quality team and things didn’t bounce our way this year, but they should be really proud of themselves," Scott added. West Genesee, the Section 3 champions, improved their record to 21-4 and will advance to the championship game.