• Columbia's Justin Pangburn ,left, is safe as Colonie catcher Jake Hutton drops the ball during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) Photo: Hans Pennink / Hans Pennink
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Columbia's Justin Pangburn ,left, is safe as Colonie catcher Jake Hutton drops the ball during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Columbia's Justin Pangburn ,left, is safe as Colonie catcher Jake Hutton drops the ball during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Home Plate Umpire Tyler Desmarais signals Columbia's Justin Pangburn (2) safe after he was knocked to the ground during a collision during a play at the plate against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Home Plate Umpire Tyler Desmarais signals Columbia's Justin Pangburn (2) safe after he was knocked to the ground during a collision during a play at the plate against Colonie during a Section II high school ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Columbia's Danny Watson (7) looks on as teammate Justin Pangburn (2) collides with Umpire Tyler Desmarais while scoring against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Columbia's Danny Watson (7) looks on as teammate Justin Pangburn (2) collides with Umpire Tyler Desmarais while scoring against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie first baseman Nathan Thoms (7) fields a ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Colonie first baseman Nathan Thoms (7) fields a ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie's Carter Bach (15) celebrates his home run against Columbia as he rounds third base with head coach Kevin Halburian during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Colonie's Carter Bach (15) celebrates his home run against Columbia as he rounds third base with head coach Kevin Halburian during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie's Devan Kruzinski (2) beats the pick off attempt at first base form Columbia's Danny Watson (7) during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less
Colonie's Devan Kruzinski (2) beats the pick off attempt at first base form Columbia's Danny Watson (7) during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / ... more
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie's Kyle Lambert (10) pitches the ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Colonie's Kyle Lambert (10) pitches the ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie's Kyle Lambert (10) pitches the ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Colonie's Kyle Lambert (10) pitches the ball against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Columbia's Brandon Ostiguy (21) pitches the ball against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia's Brandon Ostiguy (21) pitches the ball against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Columbia's Brandon Ostiguy (21) pitches the ball against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia's Brandon Ostiguy (21) pitches the ball against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie head coach Kevin Halburian instructs his players against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Colonie head coach Kevin Halburian instructs his players against Columbia during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Columbia head coach Chris Dedrick instructs his players against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia head coach Chris Dedrick instructs his players against Colonie during a Section II high school baseball game Friday, May 11, 2018, in Colonie, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
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Colonie

Ryan Nista was forced into action Friday night through an unfortunate turn of events as the Columbia junior subbed for injured starter Brandon Ostiguy. The first pitch Nista threw against Colonie junior Carter Bach forced the junior right-hander to turn his head quickly.

Thinking fastball all the way, Bach turned a 2-1 offering from Nista into a three-run home run to center at Cook Park.

Colonie scored five times in the first inning and then held off a seventh-inning rally by the Blue Devils to secure a 6-4 Suburban Council victory on Military Appreciation Night.

The Garnet Raiders (13-3 overall, 10-3 league) captured their ninth straight win in dramatic fashion as senior lefty reliever Spencer Wall took a grounder off the bat of Columbia's Matthew Wimmer and flipped it to catcher Jake Hutton for a force play at the plate after the Blue Devils loaded the bases with two outs.

"We bounced back and got the out we needed to get a nice 'W'," said Wall, who worked the final 32/3 innings to record his second win to go along with three saves.

"It is nice to throw the little two-footer for the game," Colonie coach Kevin Halburian said. "I'll take that any time than throwing it 90 (feet) over the guy's head and into the bushes."

Columbia (10-5, 8-5) opened the game in strong fashion against Colonie starter Kyle Lambert, loading the bases with no outs in the top of the first on two walks sandwiched around a single by Nick Stagnitta. A sacrifice fly by Matt LaHera and an RBI groundout from Carmen Erno provided the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead.

Colonie answered when Ryan McGee's run-scoring single cut the deficit to 2-1. Ostiguy injured himself following through on a 1-1 pitch to Bach.

He tried to continue before Columbia coach Chris Dedrick summoned Nista to come in.

"Something happened where he felt a (hamstring) twinge," Dedrick said. "When he got back on the mound, to take his extra warm-ups, he could still sort of feel it. We felt the best thing to do was take him out."

Before Bach stepped back into the batter's box, he had a conversation with Halburian. The message was to hunt a fastball.

"That is exactly what I told him before he went back up: think fastball," Halburian said. "It was a 2-1 count. Think fastball and if it is there, take a swing at it. It was a perfect swing."

Bach's first varsity home run went to straightaway center and just cleared the wall.

"I knew he was coming with a fastball. I wanted to jump on it because I wouldn't get anything (better) than that afterwards," Bach said. "I wasn't sure it was over."

"Carter Bach coming up big for us. What a shot," Wall said.

Colonie added one more run in the first to lead 5-2.

To his credit, Nista settled in after the opening inning and kept the Blue Devils in the game.

"Right after that moment, we played an excellent baseball game," Dedrick said. "Our kids really fought back against two very good pitchers. We worked some counts, drew some walks and had some timely hitting. We fought all the way. It just wasn't quite enough at the end."

Stagnitta, who powered the Blue Devils' offense with two doubles and two singles, drove in Justin Pangburn in the second inning to cut the deficit to 5-3. The score stayed that way until the bottom of the sixth when Colonie took advantage of two errors to help push across an unearned run.

Stagnitta opened the seventh with his second double and scored on LaHera's second sacrifice fly.

Wall, who struck out two batters each in the fifth and sixth, lost pinch-hitter Zach Olivan on a 3-2 pitch for a walk to load the bases.

"He wasn't going to come out," Halburian said. "I have a lot of confidence in him."

Wall answered the faith shown in him by recording the final out.

"We are on a roll right now. Our morale is really high and we want to keep that going into the next game," Bach said.

jallen@timesunion.com • 518-454-5062 • @TUSidelines