North star vexes Prattsburgh again
BY SHAWN VARGO GATEHOUSE MEDIA

ERIC WENSEL/GATEHOUSE MEDIA Prattsburgh's Nick Digati attempts to turn a double play after forcing out Northstar Christian's Dan Zatkieicz at second base.

HORNELL - North star Christian Academy busted open a close game with a seven-run fourth inning, then held off Prattsburgh 12-7 to win the Section V, Class D baseball title Friday, June 6, at Hornell. Northstar also beat the Prattsburgh boys basketball team in the sectional finals in March.

"It's tough to get to this point in the season and go out with a loss," said Prattsburgh coach Dave Ekis. "But you have to remind these guys to keep their chins up.

"Overall, it's a successful season any time you make it to the finals."

The second-seeded Knights (17-7) led 3-2 thanks to solo runs in each of the first three innings. If it wasn't for head's up play by the Vikings' defense, it could have been worse.

In the first inning Northstar pitcher Dave Valle helped his own cause with an RBI triple, but was gunned down at the plate on a fly-ball out to center field by Elijah Hicks. In the second inning, second baseman Nick Digati threw a runner out at home, while catcher Dylon Dibble ended the inning by picking off a runner at first base.

"We were throwing strikes and they were hitting the ball," Ekis said. "I think in the beginning of the game, both teams were being very aggressive on the basepaths and we were able to take advantage of that."

Prattsburgh, the No. 4 seed, picked up a run in the second inning as Jake Zurlick plated Garrett Parker with a single. Ryan Rigely drew a walk in the third and eventually came around on a two-out single by Dougie Lewis. Northstar turned in a defensive gem by gunning Logan Wheeler out at the plate on the same play.

Once in the fourth inning, however, the Knights took control as they managed to send 12 batters to the plate, while posting seven runs on three hits, four walks and one hit batsman.

"That's been our Achillies heel all year," Ekis said. "I was telling the guys to look at the scoreboard at the end of the game. We got beat by one inning - but sometimes that's the difference in a ballgame. It certainly was tonight."

Northstar added two more runs in the fifth inning, before Prattsburgh made a run.

In the top of the sixth, the first five Vikings batters reached base and eventually scored. Steven Hullings, Cody Grey, Lewis, Parker and Dibble helped cut Northstar's lead to 12-7. Lewis had two hits and two RBI for Prattsburgh, while Dibble and Zurlick had two runs batted in each.

Grey went three and a third innings and got the loss.

Northstar will advance to play Batavia Notre Dame today in the Section V, Class D cross-over game.