-
-
-
-
-
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-c',
container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-5',
placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 5',
target_type: 'mix'
});
_taboola.push({flush: true});
-
-
-
-
-
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-c',
container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-10',
placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 10',
target_type: 'mix'
});
_taboola.push({flush: true});
-
-
-
-
-
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-c',
container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-15',
placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 15',
target_type: 'mix'
});
_taboola.push({flush: true});
-
-
-
-
window._taboola = window._taboola || [];
_taboola.push({
mode: 'thumbnails-c',
container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-19',
placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 19',
target_type: 'mix'
});
_taboola.push({flush: true});
Ballston Spa's Anthony DeVizzio (5) fields a ball against Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Anthony DeVizzio (5) fields a ball against Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to
... more
Columbia players celebrate a 3-2 win against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia players celebrate a 3-2 win against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
Columbia players celebrate a 3-2 win against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia players celebrate a 3-2 win against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
Ballston Spa's Mack Bumford (6) fields a foul ball against Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Mack Bumford (6) fields a foul ball against Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to
... more
Columbia's Danny Watson (7) pitches against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessColumbia's Danny Watson (7) pitches against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times
... more
Columbia's Danny Watson (7) pitches against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessColumbia's Danny Watson (7) pitches against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times
... more
Ballston Spa's Michael Poirier (13) pitches against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Michael Poirier (13) pitches against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the
... more
Ballston Spa's Michael Poirier (13) pitches against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Michael Poirier (13) pitches against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the
... more
Ballston Spa's players react as Jake Manderson (1) scores against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's players react as Jake Manderson (1) scores against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink /
... more
Ballston Spa's Mack Bumford (6) fields a ball against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa's Mack Bumford (6) fields a ball against Columbia during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the
... more
Columbia's Justin Pangburn makes the throw to first base against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessColumbia's Justin Pangburn makes the throw to first base against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink /
... more
Ballston Spa catcher tags Jake Manderson (1) Matthew Wimmer Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessBallston Spa catcher tags Jake Manderson (1) Matthew Wimmer Columbia's during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special
... more
Columbia's players celebrate a run scored against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
lessColumbia's players celebrate a run scored against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the
... more
Fans watch Columbia play against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Fans watch Columbia play against Ballston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
Columbia's Willie Terrell bats againstBallston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Columbia's Willie Terrell bats againstBallston Spa during a Section II Class AA Boys' baseball final Tuesday, May 29, 2018, in Troy, N.Y. Columbia won the game 3-1. (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union)
Photo: Hans Pennink
Terrell delivers for Columbia
Troy
Willie Terrell suffered the misfortune of hitting a ball too hard to lead off the fifth inning of the Class AA sectional championship game.
The Columbia senior, who certainly wasn't overconfident running down the first-base line, was nonetheless thrown out from right field.
But hard-hit balls — early, recorded as Ballston Spa outs — eventually went the Blue Devils' way just enough for a 3-1 sectional championship. The Blue Devils scored in each of the last three innings after falling behind on a run in the fourth at Hudson Valley Community College.
It was Terrell who smacked what turned out to be the game-winning hit: a single with runners on second and third that produced a 2-1 lead in the sixth. The second runner was thrown out at the plate from center field.
Again, a sign that Terrell hit the ball a little too hard at the vast Bruno Stadium.
"Willie's been hitting the ball so hard lately," Columbia coach Chris Dedrick said. "He was ready for the opportunity. All of our guys were."
Perhaps no one more than starting pitcher Danny Watson for Columbia, who went the distance and surrendered five hits.
"I could tell Danny had a good fastball going, because Ballston Spa had a lot of late swings," Dedrick said.
Scotties coach Curtis Nobles praised Watson's senior-level poise.
"He had pretty much everything going for him. And when he's like that, he's one of the toughest in the (Suburban Council)," Nobles added, noting his young team was looking for the one big at-bat to shake Watson and embolden his group.
"It never happened, though," he said.
Ballston Spa came up with a run in the top of the fourth, after Jake Manderson led off with a single and scored with two outs on an infield error.
Watson had six strikeouts and did some of his most deft work in the latter innings to make sure a boisterous Ballston Spa dugout and crowd never felt like runs were inevitable.
Nic Stagnitta tied the score at 1 with an RBI single in the fifth for Columbia. Watson stranded runners at first and second in the bottom of the inning with an easy groundout.
Terrell's RBI in the sixth was followed in the bottom of the inning by Watson retiring the Scotties in order.
Matt LaHera's sacrifice fly in the seventh gave Watson a 2-run cushion.
Watson's counterpart, Michael Poirer, was fantastic, too. With a young team around him, and a lot of energy to feed off, he went 61/3 while allowing two runs on six hits. He struck out eight and notably got out of a bases-loaded jam in the first; then forced Columbia into a double play to end the fourth.
Watson, though, remained on in the seventh and produced three quick outs for a dugout-clearing celebration among the No. 7-seeded Blue Devils.
"I kept feeling better and better," Watson said. "I tend to throw harder as I go, and that's what I did today. I threw two balls to start out the last inning. But I just had to settle down, knowing I had my teammates behind me."
Ballston Spa, which thumped traditional power Shenendehowa last week, was the No. 5 seed.
"This just made me hungrier, simple as that," Nobles said. "We've got a young group and this wasn't a loss — it was a learning experience. I'm getting started on next season (Wednesday)."
Looking ahead becomes even more fascinating for the Blue Devils.
They'll play a regional game Saturday, same night as the prom.
Columbia athletic director Mike Leonard huddled the dozen seniors after the trophy presentation, and discussed his dugout-to-dance plan. He confidently said it's been enacted three other times.
Players will bring their tuxedos to the game and have a place to clean up and eat at HVCC. The photographer will be waiting at the Desmond Hotel.
Leonard and his wife half-joked after the win, there would be some upset young women in the stands.
But the Blue Devils had to do what they had to do.
"We've been doubted since day one," Watson said with a smile. "It's an amazing experience to bring all of the haters down."
jfranchuk@timesunion.com • 518-454-5413
https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/Terrell-delivers-for-Columbia-12952729.php
