Troy

Championship victories always rate well with venerable Fort Plain baseball coach Craig Phillips, so how high did Saturday's improbable 10-6 Class D title triumph over top-seeded Whitehall go with him?

"We're headed to Golden Corral." Phillips exulted.

The Hilltoppers — a squad without a senior on their roster — feasted for four runs in the top of the eighth using a small-ball approach, including twice bunting for singles, and freshman reliever Troy Butler finished off the Railroaders to conclude a championship at Bruno Stadium.

"We never give up and play every out as our hardest. We know when you play that hard, good things will come," said Fort Plain sophomore catcher Brady Fureno, one of four players from the 2016 state championship team still playing for the Hilltoppers. "Today, that happened."

The win provided Fort Plain (15-3) the program's 11th Section II championship and it represented career win 775 for the incomparable Phillips.

"People don't realize that the bunt is still an important weapon in baseball," Phillips said. "Enough teams don't do it. This is sweet, though. I didn't expect this."

"It took a lot of heart," said Butler, whose lip was quivering with emotion as he spoke.

The Hilltoppers trailed 5-2 and managed only two hits through five innings — both coming in the first when Bryce Thibodeau singled with one out and John Cortese followed with a two-run double.

Fort Plain strung together two hits, three walks and a hit batter to scratch across four runs against Whitehall relievers Evan St. Claire and Thomas Fish. Fureno put the Hilltoppers ahead 6-5 when he greeted Fish with a two-run single with the bases loaded.

Butler allowed a sacrifice fly to Whitehall catcher David Camara as the Railroaders tied it in the seventh.

Fort Plain opened the top of the eighth at the bottom of its order, but that is where the Hilltoppers began the game-winning rally.

Sophomore center fielder Zack Reid, the team's No. 8 hitter, entered Saturday's title game with eight hits — all extra bases — and he added two more with a two-run double in the sixth and a ground-rule double to open the eighth.

Dawson Nare followed Reid and put down a bunt toward third that he beat out for a single. Fort Plain leadoff hitter Jaxson Yacowenia slapped a grounder to first and the throw came home attempting to prevent Reid from scoring. He made it safely and the Railroaders threw the ball around and it allowed Nare to reach home for an 8-6 lead.

A bunt single by Fureno made it 9-6 and he later scored on a passed ball.

"In practice, it is bunt lines. We're always bunting," Fureno said. "When you practice it that much, it works out for us doing it in games. We want to put the ball in play. If the other team makes a mistake, it is good for us."

Fort Plain returns to play June 2 at East Field against Section IX champion Tuxedo.

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