Photo and story submitted by Roy Watson.
It was a year ago almost to the day that the same team met on the same mound for the championship game. Last year had a different ending. The Batavia Yankees came up short, losing in the 8th inning by one run.
Monday, was sweet revenge for Coach Roy Watson Jr. and Cornelius Cook. Yankees were up 4-0 in the top of the first inning. Oakfield came back and began to pound the ball.
Trevor Sherwood was the starting pitcher, but soon after that coach had to pull him and enter Peter Maddafri. It was 8-4 in the bottom of the 2nd inning.
The Yankees were fielding with a man on second and a walk to first. With a wild pitch, the runner was heading home. Catcher Evan Bender threw out the runner. That made it one out. Next play, Oakfield’s player is caught in a hot box between 2nd and 3rd base and the Yanks' got him out; third out came with the next batter striking out. This is what the Yankees' needed. There was no stopping their momentum.
Coach Watson entered pitcher Tyler Prospero during the sixth inning. He had five strikeouts, with no man left on base. Tyler shut out Oakfield completely with his lethal curve ball and his 75-mph fast ball.
Tyler Prospero went 2-2 with game changing double and two walks, Dwayne Fonda 1-3, Peter Maddafri went 2-4, with two RBIs, Jarret Lasik 3-4, with two RBIs, Trevor Sherwood 3-4 with game-tying double and two RBIs, Peter Diversa went 1-3, with two RBIs and with a single to put the Yankees ahead in the 8th inning. Evan Bender went 1-4, Sam Marble went 2-4, Peter Kozol 1-3, Phil Kozil 1 RBI, Tony Diversa 0-1, with a walk.
The final score was Yankees 9, Oakfield Alabama 8. It was sweet revenge for the team that came up short a year ago.
