Oakfield-Alabama erupted for eight runs in the top of the eighth inning to break open a tie game and defeat Honeoye, 11-4, in an extra-inning thriller Monday night.
OA (now 13-8) tallied 11 hits and took advantage of three Honeoye errors, overcoming a 3-3 deadlock after seven innings. Ryan Schnaufer led the way with a double and a dramatic inside-the-park home run in the eighth, finishing 2-for-4 with three runs scored and three RBIs.
OA took a 3-0 lead into the third, but Honeoye (13-8) rallied to tie it in the fifth. Both teams’ pitchers worked out of jams through regulation before OA’s bats came alive in extras.
In the eighth, Jake Gehlert reached on an error to score Schnaufer, who led off with a double, for the go-ahead run. Avery Watterson reached on another error, and Jackson Gilbert delivered a two-run single, scoring Jack Cianfrini, who had singled earlier, and Watterson. Levi Kabel followed with a two-run single of his own, and Schnaufer capped the rally with his two-run, inside-the-park homer to right-center.
Watterson earned the win in relief, tossing 3.2 innings and allowing just one hit and one earned run while striking out one. He also reached base twice and scored three runs. Starter Travis Chaya went 4.1 innings, giving up three runs on seven hits and striking out three.
For Honeoye, Owen Cuba pitched seven strong innings, allowing three runs (one earned) and striking out eight. Kevin Schmitt took the loss in relief, charged with eight unearned runs in the eighth. Kevin Schmitt and Dylan Washburn each had two hits for the Bulldogs.
Stats:
- OA: 11 hits, 11 runs, 3 errors
- Schnaufer: 2-4, 2B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI, BB
- Kabel: 2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, BB
- Tobolski: 1-3, 2 RBI, R, 2 BB
- Watterson: 1-4, 3 R, BB, 2 SB; 3.2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K (W)
- Chaya: 1-5, RBI; 4.1 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 3 K
Oakfield-Alabama advances and will await its next opponent in sectional play.
Photos by Jordyn Tobolski
