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Dragons Hold Off Gators For ‘C’ Crown

Maple Grove’s Brandon Reagle slides safely into third base for one of his four stolen bases in Saturday’s Section VI Class C crossover victory over Allegany-Limestone at Diethrick Park. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Their backs to the Diethrick Park grandstand, the Maple Grove Red Dragons posed for a photograph late Saturday afternoon with the Section VI championship banner prominently displayed in front of them. The player holding the sectional Class C title plaque was Brandon Reagle, who was in the center of the first row.

That was only fitting, because he was in the middle of just about everything all day anyway.

All told, the senior catcher and leadoff hitter walked twice, stole four bases, and singled and later scored what proved to be the winning run in the top of the seventh inning to back another fine outing by Daren Vaillancourt as error-prone Maple Grove held on to edge Allegany-Limestone, 5-4, in the Class C crossover game.

The victory, the second in three meetings with the Gators this season, advances the Red Dragons into the Far West Regional at noon next Saturday against a Section V opponent, back at Diethrick Park.

“Brandon is a natural-born leader,” Maple Grove coach Ryan Lucas said. “He takes his role as captain on this team very seriously. He sets the tone for the game and he’s constantly making things happen. We count on him again and again, and he comes through again and again. It’s all those big moments and he shines in those moments. He’s a spotlight guy and he’s done a heck of a job for us this year.”

Maple Grove’s Daren Vaillancourt delivers to the plate. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Maple Grove took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Reagle walked, stole second, advanced to third on a foul popup and scored on Dalton DuBois’ infield single. DuBois, later crossed the plate on an infield out by Zak Trim.

Allegany-Limestone cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first when Zach Hemphill reached on an infield single, stole second and scored on a throwing error, one of five Red Dragons’ miscues on the afternoon.

A one-out single in the top of the third inning by Trevor Micek, an error, and a groundout set the stage for Easton Tanner’s RBI single that pushed Maple Grove’s lead to 3-1.

Two more Red Dragon errors in the bottom half of the inning allowed the Gators (14-5) to score another unearned run to pull within, 3-2, but the Cattaraugus County school could have had an even bigger rally were it not for Trim’s spectacular diving catch in center field that stranded an Allegany-Limestone runner at third.

The margin remained one run until the fifth inning when Reagle led off with a walk, stole second and scored on an error. He also turned in a defensive gem in the bottom of the frame when he picked Hemphill off second base for the first out. Vaillancourt worked around a two-out infield single without any damage.

Maple Grove’s Dalton DuBois celebrates after the final out in the Red Dragons’ 5-4 victory over Allegany-Limestone. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

“I can’t say enough about his start,” Lucas said of Vaillancourt. “He left his heart and soul on that mound He persevered in every situation and never backed down from anything.

“We talk about turning the page in any situation. These guys have such good chemistry, they’ll do anything it takes to pick each other up. Today we had a couple flubs in the infield and it was (Vaillancourt’s) turn to pick up the guys behind him.”

Reagle found himself in the middle of Maple Grove’s seventh-inning rally as he led off with a single back up the middle that appeared to hit losing pitcher Sean Conroy in the foot. Once at first, Reagle’s adventures continued. First, he was almost picked off first base, but somehow scrambled safely back to the bag, later stole second and third and scored on an errant throw from the catcher that bounced into shallow left field.

“You just have to take advantage of it, especially being senior year,” Reagle said. “You have to lay it all out there, especially now (because) it’s do or die. If we don’t win, we go home, so I try and do it all for my boys out there.”

Leading 5-2, the Red Dragons appeared to be in charge, but the tiring Vaillancourt walked Hemphill to lead off the seventh inning, which prompted Lucas to bring in DuBois to close out the win. But the senior captain walked Logan Klice and, after a fielder’s choice resulted in the first out, Collin Strade worked out another walk to load the bases. Ryan Schlosser followed with a single to center and Marcus Grove drove in the second run of the inning on a sacrifice fly.

Suddenly, the Gators had the tying run at second and the winning run at first, but DuBois struck out Grant Davis to end the game, extending the Red Dragons’ season at least another week.

“It’s been a fun run,” Lucas said.

NOTES: Vaillancourt gave up four hits, struck out four and walked five. … Conroy scattered five hits, struck out seven and walked four.

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