Two seasons ago, the Pittsford Mendon Vikings were closer to the bottom than the top of the Monroe County baseball league in Section V.
The Pittsford Mendon Vikings are now on the top shelf of New York State high school baseball as Class A champions.
Mendon defeated defending champion Maine-Endwell 2-0 in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class A state tournament championship game June 14 at Binghamton University.
The Vikings, who became a Section V champion for the first time since 2001 this spring, earned the first state title in team history by defeating the Section IV champion.
Mendon scored a run in the fourth inning, another in the sixth, on RBI-singles by Aidan Lerner-Morelle. Ethan Postle was the starter on the mound for Mendon, and pitched 6 1/3 innings. Eli Charatz retired two hitters with two runners on base for the save.
Check back for updates, here is how the championship game unfolded:
Top of 1st inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell –
Mendon leadoff hitter Jack Albanese walks. Noah Sansone lines into a double play, ball caught by Maine-Endwell first baseman Cooper Klinger. Colden Forney flies out to right field.
Bottom of 1st inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell 0
Mendon starting pitcher Ethan Postle, a left-hander, strikes out Maine-Endwell leadoff hitter Brady Palmer. Cooper Klinger walks. Postle strikes out Stratos Anastos and Max Policare to end the inning.
Top of 2nd inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell 0
Cam Barbulean grounds out to Maine-Endwell starting pitcher Michael Jamba. Aidan Lerner-Morelle grounds out to shortstop. Jackson Forney grounds out to shortstop.
Bottom of 2nd inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell 0
Mendon starting pitcher Ethan Postle strikes out his fourth and fifth batters of the game, Michael Jamba and Colten Zajdel. Mason Little walks, there will be a courtesy runner. Cade Raleigh hits a ball that the Mendon centerfielder just misses catching. The courtesy runner advances to third. Raleigh takes second base with no challenge. Postle strikes out Grady Wilson to end the inning.
Top of 3rd inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell 0
Sam Harrigan grounds out to second base. James Termine hits a ball that the Maine-Endwell second baseman fields, but the throw eludes the Spartans first baseman. Termine gets a hit and advances to second base on the error. Reece Totedo is retired by the Spartans first baseman, Termine goes to third. Jack Albanese grounds out to Maine-Endwell starting pitcher Michael Jamba.
Bottom of 3rd inning
Pittsford Mendon 0, Maine-Endwell 0
Maine-Endwell’s Brady Palmer beats out a bunt down the third base line. Cooper Klinger bunts into a fielder’s choice, Palmer is out at second base, thrown out by pitcher Ethan Postle. Stratos Anastos singles to right field, Klinger goes to third base. Anastos steals second base. Max Policare strikes out. Michael Jamba walks, the bases are loaded. Colten Zajdel hits a foul pop up that lands, extending his at-bat. Postle strikes out Zajdel looking.
Top of 4th inning
Pittsford Mendon 1, Maine-Endwell 0
Mendon’s Noah Sansone pops out to the second baseman. Colden Forney flies out to right field. Cam Barbulean hits a pitch to left centerfield that goes for a triple. Aidan Lerner-Morelle strokes a line drive up the middle, scores Barbulean. Jackson Forney grounds into a fielder’s choice.
Bottom of 4th inning
Pittsford Mendon 1, Maine-Endwell 0
Mason Little lines out to Mendon centerfielder Cam Barbulean. Postle strikes out his ninth batter, Cade Raleigh. Grady Wilson is the 10th batter to strikeout.
Top of 5th inning
Pittsford Mendon 1, Maine-Endwell 0
Maine-Endwell starting pitcher Michael Jamba strikes out Sam Harrigan. James Termine flies out to right field. Jamba strikes out Reece Totedo.
Bottom of 5th inning
Pittsford Mendon 1, Maine-Endwell 0
Maine-Endwell’s Brady Wilson walks. Cooper Klinger fails during a bunt attempt and fouls off two pitches. Klinger hits a dribble of a groundball, thrown out at first base by Mendon catcher James Termine. Palmer steals third base. Postle strikes out Stratos Anastos. Max Policare flies out to centerfield.
Top of 6th inning
Pittsford Mendon 2, Maine-Endwell 0
Mendon leadoff hitter Jack Albanese hits a groundball up the middle of the field for a single. Noah Sansone bunts, the sacrifice moves Albanese to second base. Colden Forney grounds out to third base, Albanese goes back to second base. Aidan Lerner-Morelle gets a base hit, scores Albanese. A rundown on the basepaths ends the half-inning.
Bottom of 6th inning
Pittsford Mendon 2, Maine-Endwell 0
Maine-Endwell’s Michael Jamba swings at the first pitch by Mendon starting pitcher Ethan Postle, flies out to left field. A pinch-hitter singles to right field. Mason Little hits a ball caught by the Mendon centerfielder Cam Barbulean. Colten Zajdel re-enters the game as a pinch-hitter. Postle strikes out Cade Raleigh, ending the inning.
Top of 7th inning
Pittsford Mendon 2, Maine-Endwell 0
The Mendon Vikings are retired in order by Maine-Endwell starting pitcher Michael Jamba.
Bottom of 7th inning
Pittsford Mendon 2, Maine-Endwell 0
A pinch-hitter grounds out to Mendon shortstop Colen Forney. Maine-Endwell leadoff hitter Brady Palmer hits a groundball up the middle for a base hit. Cooper Klinger gets a base hit to right field, moves Palmer to second base. Eli Charatz replaces Pittsford Mendon starting pitcher Ethan Postle. There is one out.
Palmer steals third base, Klinger second base, while Stratos Anastos strikes out. Max Policare grounds out to shortstop Colden Forney. Mendon wins.
Pittsford Mendon 2, Maine-Endwell 0 – FINAL
Pittsford Mendon baseball photos
Maine-Endwell baseball photos
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Pittsford Mendon defeats Maine-Endwell to win first baseball state championship
Reporting by James Johnson, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
