TRUMANSBURG –– The No. 3 Moravia baseball team was unable to keep up with No. 2 Trumansburg Wednesday, as the Blue Raiders slowly pulled away from the Blue Devils and won 10-0 in five innings via the run rule in the semifinals of the Section IV Class C tournament at Trumansburg Central School.
Down 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Moravia looked to halt Trumansburg’s momentum and put together a rally of its own in the final innings. Eli Landis surrendered a single to Willoughby Puryear to begin the inning, but followed that with two quick outs. Owen Fulton then worked a walk, followed by Chandler Wright hitting a two-run double that cleared the bases and gave the Blue Raiders the win.
Moravia’s best chances came in the fourth and fifth, as it got some traffic on the bases but couldn’t convert with runners on.
In the fourth, Dillon Palmer and Luke Landis walked to begin the inning, but Jairen Francis struck out, Noah Corbett grounded out and Hunter Boynton struck out to end the inning.
Thomas Palmer led off the fifth with a single, followed by Robert Balk striking out and Carson Andrews reaching base on a walk. Eli Landis then hit a line drive that looked like it would bloop over Puryear, Trumansburg’s second baseman, but he pulled in the catch on a last-second effort. Thomas Palmer was then caught running to third and doubled off at second to end the inning.
The fourth and fifth innings stung Moravia in the end. Trumansburg went on to score four runs in the bottom of the fourth and two to seal its win in the fifth.
Moravia head coach Eric Gremli has seen his guys put together a successful season despite some weaknesses. Things just did not come together for the Blue Devils on Wednesday.
“The game plan coming in was we just wanted to do what we’ve been doing all season,” Gremli said. “We’ve been getting a lot of traffic on the bases. One of our weaknesses this year, actually, is that we’ve been leaving guys on bases.”
“I thought if we could get men on base, with it being playoff baseball, we’d be able to push guys across and make it a competitive game,” Gremli added. “Unfortunately we didn’t play our best baseball (Wednesday). (Trumansburg) played pretty well, got some good breaks and we didn’t get any.”
Noah Corbett got the start for Moravia and was quickly met by Puryear, who led off with a single.
Trumansburg put a run across in the first and three more in the second.
The top of the Blue Raiders’ lineup was a tough put out all game. Puryear gave the Blue Devils fits, going 4-for-4. Nik Nelson had two hits and two RBIs in the two spot, Fulton had two hits and two RBIs batting cleanup and Wright had a hit and two RBIs batting fifth.
Nelson also tossed five innings for Trumansburg, allowing no runs on three hits and struck out seven.
Moravia’s three hits came from two players. Thomas Palmer had two hits and Dillon Palmer added a hit. All three were singles.
Despite its season coming to an end, Moravia finished with a successful 14-5 record. Gremli is proud of the way his team competed all season, and it was an effort from everyone.
“I love these guys,” Gremli said. “We could pretty much ask them to do anything and they would. They just did all the little things well. Everyone knew, especially our seniors, that you’re never going to win a game on your own out here.”
