ON THE MARK-CHANATRY GOES THE DISTANCE AS POST 1376 EARNS FIRST WIN
#5 Kris Martinelli dives to try and slap on a tag as #9 Shawn Kula hustles back to the bag in late action.
New Hartford 4 Fort Schuyler Post 3-D 5 American Legion Baseball
Fred Miller-MHTS
A lot of the names were the same, but the uniforms and leagues were different, as MHTS visited New Hartford for a key early season District Five American Legion Baseball matchup.
The names, I am referring to, included Post 1376 starter and winning pitcher Mark Chanatry, catcher Connor Manderson, first baseman Kris Martinelli, second baseman Joe Donovan, right fielder Cooper Brown, designated hitter Vinny Maugeri, short stop Steve Tomaino, left fielder John Calabrese, third basemen Mike Szczesniak and center fielder Nick DeCrisci.
Heck, the whole New Hartford High School baseball team is now wearing the colors for American Legion Post 1376. The list above mentions just last night’s starters.
The names above represented today’s starting lineup, the rest of the squad, that made it all the way to the Class A New York State High School Final Four, was on the bench waiting to see some action.
Oh by the way, manager Wayne Manderson is also a member of the New Hartford High coaching staff.
The reason I brought this up is that after the long, exhausting run, the Spartans made to states, the team should be given a Mulligan for starting their season out with a loss to Sherrill Post. Not to take anything away from Sherrill, but you get my drift.
# 11 Mark Chanatry pitches New Hartford Post to first win of the season!
The boys in red and gray were focused and ready to go as they looked to even their early season record at (1-1).
After jumping out to a commanding (4-1) lead, on a young but talented Fort Schuyler Post team, New Hartford hung on for a hard fought, down to the last out, win, (4-3) over Fort Schuyler.
This one was all about the pitchers, on a beautiful night for baseball, at Joseph Corr Memorial Field in New Hartford. A nice crowd was on hand to root on these local rivals.
Fort Schuyler Post entered action coming off a thrilling 2-1 win over Adrean Post the night before, to improve their early season record to (1-1).
New Hartford trotted out their talented right-hander Mark Chanatry to do battle with Fort Schuyler Post. Mark did not disappoint, as he went the distance, seven innings, to pick up the win.
His pitching line was superb. How about this? Seven innings, 4 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned, 2 strikeouts and just 3 walks.
All of those numbers added up to a win, but it was not easy, as Fort Schuyler would not go away.
The visitors even managed to get the tying run to second, in the 7th, in the form of Jon “JT” Ross who ended up being stranded there as Chanatry struck out Dante Rose to seal the deal.
# 42 Jeff Albright lets one rip as he tries to catch up with a Mark Chanatry offering.
Lefty Dante Rose, an MVCC Hawk, got the start for the Fort and despite early control problems pitched well enough to win, as he held the hard hitting New Hartford lineup in check.
Rose and Keith Lubey, who came on in relief in the fifth inning, yielded just five hits in seven innings.
All four New Hartford runs were charged to Rose, who had a rough first inning, as Post 1376 put up a four spot to lead (4-1), after one, and take charge. Take charge, but not control, as Fort Schuyler made a game of it.
It was Chanatry who was touched up for a run in the visitors first, as Dante Rose walked and later scored to put his team up (1-0).
Rose worked his way around to third and then scored, when Chanatry uncorked a wild pitch, one of the few mistakes he would make all day.
Anthony Rose, helping his own cause, reached on an infield error. Chanatry then buckled down and got Justin Stevener to launch a high pop fly to third baseman Mike Szczesniak for the second out of the opening inning.
Chanatry then got Jeff Albright to ground out to, short stop, Steve Tomaino to end the first inning threat.
New Hartford put their stamp on this one, early, as they exploded for 4 runs in the home half of the frame to lead (4-1) after, just, one.
# 18 Cooper Brown heads to second as New Hartford looks for more. Brown would later score.
Speaking of runs, this New Hartford team is aggressive on the basepaths they love to run, as they swiped 7 bases.
They tried to swipe 8, but failed once. Fans will love this style of baseball as the season wears on. It’s all about applying pressure and is exciting to watch.
Here’s how the damage was done. Leadoff hitter Steve Tomanio and then Joe Donovan walked to set up the big rally. Cooper Brown singled, sharply, to right to drive Tomaino home with the game’s first run.
Kris Martinelli reached on a fielders choice grounder, John Calabrese worked out a walk.
That set up Nick DeCrisci, who singled to left to drive in 2 runs, chasing home Cooper Brown and Kris Martinelli, as New Hartford suddenly lead (4-1).
With Chanatry on the mound, that lead loomed large. With four runs in his back pocket, Chanatry hardly worked up a sweat, as he set the visitors down 1-2-3, all on ground outs, as we headed to the bottom of the second.
Chanatry was so sharp that he had a no-hitter after four innings of play.
Tyler Raux grounded out to Joe Donovan, Shawn Kula to short stop Steve Tomanio and Ryan Lupia ripped a comebacker to Chanatry to end the inning.
Both pitchers got into rhythm and rode their defenses to put up a bunch of zeros on the scoreboard at Joseph Corr field.
# 7 Dante Rose ready to run as Fort Schuyler looks for more.
Anthony Rose had his best inning in the third, as he retired New Hartford in order with two quick ground outs and a pop out to JT Ross at second.
Mark Chanatry pulled a right back at ya with a three pitch top of the fourth as Fort Schuyler was a bit too eager at the dish, swinging at the first offering Chanatry sent toward the plate.
Justin Stevener lined out to right. Jeff Albright hit one right back to the pitcher and Tyler Raux grounded sharply to short to retire the side.
We move forward to the sixth when Fort Schuyler rallied to make a game of it. The visitors plated two runs to pull with in one, (4-3). Dante Rose walked and later scored run number two.
Jeff Albright singled to left to chase Rose to the plate. Rose was soon followed home by Stevener when Shawn Kula picked up an RBI, of his own, by poking one through the right side of the infield.
Unfortunately for Fort Schuyler, Kula was gunned down at second as he tried to stretch his single into a double to end the inning.
Now leading (4-3), New Hartford was pushed to the limit, as Fort Schuyler Post threatened but did not score in their half of the seventh inning.
Russ Brandon laid down a beautiful bunt single to keep hopes alive.
Brandon was cut down at second on a force out. JT Ross ended up on first on the play.
Ross then swiped second to get into scoring position with the potential tying run. Ross would remain there as Chanatry struck out Dante Rose to end this D 5 thriller.
New Hartford 4 Fort Schuyler Post 3
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 R H E
Fort Schuyler 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 3 4 1
New Hartford 4 0 0 0 0 0 X 4 5 1
New Hartford offensive leaders:
Steve Tomaino-2-3-1 run scored
Cooper Brown-1-2-1 RBI-1 run scored
Joe Donovan-1 run scored
Kris Martinelli- 1-3-1 run scored
Nick DeCrisci-1-3
Fort Schuyler offensive leaders:
Shawn Kula-2 singles-1 RBI
Justin Stevener-1 single-1 run scored
JT Ross-1 run scored
Dante Rose-1 run scored
Brandon Russ-1 single
# 17 Connor Manderson, Coach Wayne Manderson, visit Mark Chanatry on the mound as Fort Schuyler scores early.
