Spartans eliminated in semi-finals

Florida - It was an up and down baseball season for the S. S. Seward Spartans. And even though they lost 3-1 to Millbrook in the Section 9 Class C semi-finals there really were more “ups” than “downs.” The quarter-final game, a 12-3 Florida win against league opponent Tri-Valley, was a good illustration. In the last regular-season game Florida lost to Tri-Valley, 4-3, giving the upstate Bears entry into the tournament as the fourth seed. The loss place Seward one rung lower. Obviously, seeds do not always predict success as Mickey Collins and Co. dominated Tri-Valley in that quarter-final in Grahamsville. Collins collected four hits, including a home run and a double and drove in four runs. Bryan Folkl doubled twice and singled and knocked in three runs. Steve Sinisi also joined the hit parade with four hits and two RBI. Meanwhile, Kyle O’Sullivan was crafting a two-hitter while striking out five. That game was an “up.” The roller coaster tracked back down last Wednesday as Florida’s season came to an end at the hands of Millbrook, 3-1. Dylan Gaucher suffered the loss, but deserved better as he only allowed one earned run. For the most part the Seward sophomore kept Millbrook at bay, allowing single runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings. Collins, state record-holder for career hits, punctuated that achievement with hit number 185, a long home run which turned out to be the only run Florida would score on this day. The only other Spartan hit was a double by Sinisi and singles by Folkl and Lee Buelta. The Spartans finish the season with a 16-10 record. What Spartan coach Bill Steele and the Spartan fans will probably remember most were the careers of his three five-year players, Collins, Folkl and Brenden Myers. All three began their varsity careers as eighth-graders. Myers started his career in right field but was soon forced to move to third base because another player was injured. He remained a fixture at third when he was not toiling on the mound. Myers now holds the state record for career stolen bases. Collins started as a left fielder and part-time pitcher, then continued as a pitcher/infielder. Collins walks away with the state career hit record. And reliable and durable Bryan Folkl has been the Spartan starting catcher for five years, catching just about every inning. Several other seniors were important cogs on the 2006 team and will be missed, including pitcher/first baseman Kyle O’Sullivan, infielder Chris Weslowski and outfielders Steve Sinisi and Lee Buelta. Two other seniors, Jon Redman and Matt Sumitt, did double duty handling the score book and the stat sheet and providing much-appreciated information to this reporter. They will all be missed.