Avoca scores two in 7th to win clash of SCAA
GATEHOUSE MEDIA

ERIC WENSEL/GATEHOUSE MEDIA Hammondsport catcher Derek Baroody tries to tag out Avoca's Joe Wallace, but the relay throw hit Wallace in the helmet during Wednesday's, April 30, game.

HAMMONDSPORT - In a rare battle of state-ranked teams, Avoca blew open Wednesday's, April 30, game with two runs in the top of

the seventh inning to take down New York's top-ranked Class D team Hammondsport, 6-3, in a Steuben County Athletic Association baseball game.

Ranked eighth in the state among Class D teams, Avoca (7-3) had a 4-1 lead after five innings before the Lakers answered. Hammondsport scored twice in the bottom of the sixth to pull with in a run of a tie, but the Tigers got some help from their No. 9 hitter in the seventh. Greg Watson, who is 8-for-11 in his last three games, led off the seventh with a double and came home on Brian Kidder's single. Leading by two, Joe Wallace helped himself out with an RBI knock to push the lead to three.

Wallace finished the game with 11 strikeouts, three walks and three earned runs.

"If you give Joe Wallace a cushion, he's going to protect the lead," said Avoca Mike Fox. "The momentum was starting to change a little bit, but there were a couple key situations where guys would score from first on a double."

Mike Armstrong went 2- for-4 with a double and an RBI, while Fred Klock doubled in a run for Avoca.

Hammondsport (7-2) starter Jake Clarkson only allowed two earned runs with 12 strikeouts and four walks, while Justyn Schuck went 2-4 with two RBI and Luke Fairbrother was 2-for- 3 with a double.

"It was a big win for us against a really good team and Clarkson is a great pitcher," Fox said. We were patient and hit his hanging curveball, we hit really well tonight."

Avoca will host Canisteo- Greenwood on Tuesday, May 6.