Bears Advance to Class B Sectional Championship

Pitching paved the way for the Briarcliff Bears advancement into Wednesday’s Class B Sectional Championship against Valhalla (6-5 winners over Hastings-on-Hudson Tuesday) at Fishkill New York’s Dutchess Stadium slated for 4:30 p.m.

“Josh [Miller] was outstanding for the whole entire game,” Briarcliff Baseball Head Coach John Consorti said.

Confidence was also part of the equation for the Bears who overcame two tough defensive innings from the Falcons to produce at bat.

Briarcliff Sophomore Louis Carrafiello broke things open for the Bears (16-6) in the bottom of the third after two and a half scoreless innings bringing in senior Brendan Weinstein and Miller for two runs.

“We got a couple of runs on the board,” Consorti said. “We believe in our team."

After a solid defensive performance in the top of the fifth, two more runs added to the total in the bottom of the inning as Weinstein narrowly made it safe at home plate for the 3-0 advantage.

Junior Paul Henshaw then followed with what would be the Bears last tally of the afternoon on another Carrafiello hit.

The Falcons last rally in the top of the seventh initiated a Nick Gregrioardes single with Andrew Festa on second cutting the deficit 4-1.

The Falcons never let up the entire duration of the game, (regular season, and previous 2011 playoff games included) even following through on loading the bases to prepare to take charge and move onto the championship.

“They fought to the end,” Albertus Magnus Head Coach Pat Gorman said.  

It would be short-lived however, but Gorman is still happy with the way the Falcons executed the plan despite struggles to bring all runners home.

“That’s all I can ask for,” Gorman said.

Briarcliff defeated Croton-Harmon 8-1 in the playoff’s first round Thursday, and Westlake 12-0 in the quarterfinals, Friday heading into Tuesday’s third straight victory.

On the flip side, the Falcons slipped past Dobbs Ferry 6-5 in their first round contest Thursday, followed by Friday’s 10-9 decision at Keio Academy to finish the season 11-10 overall–including Tuesday’s contest.

Miller struck out 11 batters, gave up three hits, and walked one in seven inning pitched for the hosts.

The Falcons Casey Kern walked three, gave up only three hits, with no strikeouts in five innings pitched. James Schweitzer walked three, gave up only one hit, and struck out two in two innings on the mound in relief for Kern.