May 28, 2015 by Aidan Joly
With Danny Hobbs in a late-game jam, Saratoga head coach Richard Lofink called on reliever Cory MacArthur to pitch, and he did not disappoint.
Saratoga defeated Guiderland on the Section 2 Class AA semifinal on Saturday night by a score of 4-1.
Danny Hobbs tossed five innings to start the game and started the sixth inning, but two walks and a single later, it was bases loaded and no outs for the Dutchmen. As things were starting to look grim for Saratoga, MacArthur was called on. He would issue a bases-loaded walk to Andrew Blair, the first batter he saw, making it 4-1. He would then strike out the next three batters to end the inning and get out of the jam only allowing one run.
“He battled, did a great job, and kept runners off base,” said Saratoga head coach Richard Lofink after the game.
Saratoga would get the first lead on a 4th-inning sacrifice fly by Brenden Frank to give the Streaks a 1-0 lead.
They would add three more runs in the top of the sixth inning: a RBI triple off the bat of Danny Coleman, another RBI single from Frank and a double from Zach Guzi.
“I just got put in a good situation, and I came through,” said Saratoga’s Danny Coleman.
Saratoga starting pitcher Danny Hobbs was dominant, tossing five innings, allowing a run on two hits, walking three and striking out two. MacArthur, in just his two innings, struck out four consecutive batters, which accounted for all of his strikeouts.
The game was played at Joe Bruno Stadium in Troy, home of the minor-league Tri-City Valleycats.
The Streaks will go on to the Class AA final taking on Shenendehowa, of whom the Streaks split the season series with. That game will also be played at Joe Bruno, starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 29.
Danny Hobbs said of his team, “We have a lot of time to prepare, and it’s really exciting to be here.”
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 9:30 p.m. with typographic corrections.