ONONDAGA, N.Y. - Daylong rains broke just before game time, helping the Onondaga Flames keep their playoff hopes alive with a pair of wins over the Saugerties Stallions at the Onondaga Community College Baseball Complex by scores of 7-5 and 10-4.

The teams traded runs early in Game One.  The Flames scored in the first, when Stephen Bennett (Canisius College) scored on a Gage Lanning (Canisius College) sac fly to center.  But the Stallions knotted it in the second, on doubles by Jack Gonzalez (Stetson University) and Clay Simmons (South Florida).

The Flames grabbed the lead in the bottom of the second.  Matt Carey walked and took second on a single by Carsen Negrete (Gonzaga).  Carey scored on a single to left by Bennett for the Flames’ second run.  Then, Kyle Gallagher (Cornell) blasted a double to score Negrete and Bennett for a 4-1 lead.  Gallagher scored when Trey Baur (Cornell) reached second on a two base error and the Flames made it 6-1 when Baur scored on a Lanning single.

Onondaga continued to add to their lead in the 4th, when Bennett made it 7-1 with a shot over the wall in left center field for his first home run of the year.
The score stayed there until the sixth, when Saugerties staged a comeback. Gonzalez led off the frame with a walk before Dom Spinoso (Fairleigh Dickinson) got consecutive outs from Simmons and Tyler Kelder (St. Bonaventure). Spinoso proceeded to hit Nick Teitter (Hudson Valley C.C.) and give up 3 hits and 3 runs to end his night. Ryan Greco (SUNY Brockport) allowed another base hit, letting one inherited runner score.

In Game One, Onondaga scored seven runs on seven hits and made no errors. Saugerties scored five runs on six hits with one error.  The winning pitcher for Onondaga was Dom Spinoso with a final line of 5.2 IP, 5 hits, 5 runs, and 5 walks. The loser for Saugerties was Drew Farkas (Hartford), who finished with 4 IP, 7 runs, 5 of which were earned, on 6 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts. Flames righty Webb Little earned the save in his first pitching appearance of the summer, pitching a scoreless top of the 7th.

Final time for game one was 1:57, ending at 6:03. Game two would start 53 minutes later at 6:57. There was a bit of confusion at the start of game 2, as Saugerties attempted to start Matt Feinstein (Dartmouth), a center fielder that had been ejected from game one of the twin bill. After multiple stoppages of play (including an almost hour gap between the first and second innings), a few more ejections (some of which, like Feinstein, were later revoked), and two substitute at bats by Nick Teitter, Feinstein was reinstated and the game took place.

Onondaga took control of game two early, scoring four runs in the first and 5 runs in the third off of Stallions righty Avery Short (Siena). Shorts final line was 2.2 IP, giving up 9 runs, on 9 hits, with 4 walks and 1 strikeout while raising his ERA to 5.40.

While his pitcher struggled, Stallions defensive replacement Nick Vanderbeck (Ulster County C.C.) shined in the losing effort, going 2 for 3 with a long home run after taking over for Justin Tuey (Le Moyne) in the 4th inning.

Stephen Bennett continued to dominate Saugerties pitching in game 2 of this twin bill, going 3 for 5 with 2 RBI, raising his season avg. to .307 in the process. Other Flames stars included Webb Little, who went from the mound in game 1 to second base in game 2, collecting two hits and knocking in 3 RBI, and catcher Camillo Spinoso (Le Moyne), who finished the game 2 for 2 with 2 walks and 2 runs scored.

Flames righty Evan Reichel went 6 innings, giving up 2 runs, 1 earned, 7 hits, and two walks while striking out one on his way to his second victory of the season.