BINGHAMTON – Spackenkill pitcher Dan Collins’ mindset on the mound during Saturday’s Class B state baseball championship game was simple: Throw strikes and my teammates in the field will do the rest.
Collins did his job, tossing a five-hitter with nine strikeouts, and the rest of the team delivered in a 6-2 win over Taconic Hills at Binghamton University.
“It’s awesome, it is a great feeling,” said Collins, who also had three hits, including a two-run homer. “I felt great knowing that my fielders behind me would make plays and I had confidence throwing in the zone. They were a good team, but we didn’t blink coming in and we did great.”
Spackenkill of Poughkeepsie finishes the year 20-4.
Later in the day, Roy C. Ketcham of Wappingers Falls lost to Fairport 3-2 in the Class AAA state championship in Binghamton. Ketcham (23-4) scored its two runs in the seventh inning and left the bases loaded in that frame. The Storm was seeking their second consecutive state championship.
Ketcham won the Class AA state title last year and is 51-6 over the last two seasons. The Storm reached this year’s final with a come-from-behind 4-3 win over Shenendehowa on Friday in the semifinals. Ketcham was led by star shortstop Owen Paino, this year’s Gatorade New York Player of the Year.
Paino, 18, who is 6-foot-3, 200 pounds, is ranked 116th in the nation in mlb.com’s prospect rankings.
