Cortland Standard .net

ONEONTA — All five Cortland Crush players selected to the Eastern Division squad saw action Thursday in an 8-6 loss to the Western Division at the New York Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game.
Julian Gallup entered the game in the fifth inning at Damaschke Field as the East’s centerfielder and went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored. His two-bagger in the bottom of the ninth put men on first and second with no outs, and he later scored his team’s sixth run on a single by Oneonta’s Zack Blonder.
Homer Central alumnus Zephan Kash started at first base representing the Crush and went 1-for-2, singling in the fourth to put men on first and second with no outs before being erased on a fielder’s choice. Blonder took his place to start the sixth.
Cortland’s Nate Verst pitched the scoreless, hitless third inning for the Eastern Division. He faced four batters, the second reaching base on an error before being stranded, and threw a total of 13 pitches, nine for strikes.
The Crush also had pitcher T.J. Peterson allow just a lone hit holding the Western Division scoreless in the sixth, facing four batters and throwing only 10 pitches — six for strikes.
Cortland High product Yale Brian Hughes pitched the final two-thirds of the seventh inning, allowing two hits and an earned run with one walk and one strikeout. Hughes faced five batters and threw 16 strikes in 25 pitches.
Two players from the Syracuse Junior Chiefs led the Eastern Division’s 14-hit offense. Leftfielder Shane Trevino went 2-for-2 with a double while designated hitter Justin Healey went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. The Niagara Falls Rapids second baseman Conner Combs was the game’s offensive star, going 2-for-2 with a double, triple, two RBIs and a run.
Western Division starter Mitchell Powers, representing the Geneva Twins, was the winning pitcher while giving up one hit with one strikeout in hurling the first inning. Junior Chiefs hurler Tanner Whiteman took the loss, allowing two hits and three runs, all earned, in the second inning with one walk.
Kash was also a part of the Home Run Derby that took place in conjunction with the All-Star Game. That event was won by the Genesee Rapids’ Corey Andrade, with no further information available.
Gallup also competed in the skills competition held prior to the contest.
Cortland returns to league play today at Beaudry Park, hosting the Sherrill Silversmiths in a 6 p.m. start on Greg’s Field.
The second-place Crush then begins a crucial series against the Eastern Division-leading Syracuse Salt Cats with a trip to Onondaga Community College Saturday for a 2 p.m. game. The teams meet on Greg’s Field Sunday in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m. and Monday in a single game, the first pitch slated for 6 p.m.
The top four teams in each division move on to the playoffs, capped by the Eastern Division champion facing the Western Division survivor in a best-of-three series for the overall title.
The Hornell Dodgers have a nice first-place cushion in the Western Division, where the Geneva Twins (22-16), Niagara Power (21-16), Olean Oilers (18-16) and Rochester Ridgemen (19-19) are all in playoff contention.