ALTAMONT, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Taconic Hills’ Brandon Rossano said after Saturday’s NYSPHSAA Class B regional championship game that he felt the Titans were the best team in the entire class. They’re now just two wins away from proving that to be true.
Taconic Hills buried Section X’s Canton, 9-0, to advance to the state semifinals. Just over a week ago, the program earned its first section title since 1994. Now, they have the first regional title in 30 years to go along with it.
“We started off as a team – a couple years ago – that was always under .500,” said Rossano. “To now be a team that’s going to states; it’s amazing.”
Just as amazing was Rossano’s performance on the bump Saturday. He allowed just three hits in his complete-game shutout, while striking out a staggering 14 Golden Bears.
This marks Rossano’s second straight shutout victory; the last came in the sectional championship game.
It appears as the season grows longer, Rossano only gets stronger when he’s toeing that rubber.
“My velocity’s definitely been up since it’s warm weather now. It feels amazing. I have confidence to blow it by the hitters. Feels good.”
Rossano and his senior starting pitcher counterpart, Zach Rowe, have come up big in critical moments and games for the Titans down the stretch of the season. Along with Rossano’s back-to-back shutout wins in the sectional and regional championships, Rowe had maybe the most underrated effort of the sectional tournament – holding a high-powered Mechanicville offense, the No. 1-seed in Class B, to just one run in the semifinal round.
“When a challenge comes up, they step up to it; they’ve done it all year long,” said Taconic Hills head coach Scott Preusser. “Any time we ask for ’em to do something, they’re able to do it. They just keep shockin’ ya [with] how much they can do. We’re happy to be here.”
The top half of the Taconic Hills lineup did the heavy offensive lifting. The 1-5 hitters – Rowe, Jacob Alvarez, Gavin Hartka, Rossano and Troy Super – combined for nine hits in 18 at-bats.
Hartka had a team-high three runs batted in, and got the scoring started for the Titans in the first inning with a two-run single to center field. Rossano helped his own ’cause in the home half of the third with a run-scoring single to left, growing the lead to 3-0.
The Titans pushed across two runs in the fourth, fifth and sixth frames to really put the game out of reach. Super drove in two runs and Alvarez had an RBI as well. Rossano recorded a game-high three hits.
Taconic Hills (22-2) advances to take on Section III’s Little Falls in a state semifinal matchup at Union-Endicott High School on Friday, June 7. First pitch is set for 10 a.m.
Tommy Valentine
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