But in the bottom of the seventh inning, Sears impacted the game 325 feet away from home plate.

After moving to center field, Sears caught a fly ball on the run toward right-center field just before crashing into the fence for the final out of the game as the Wolfpack hung on for a 9-7 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 2 West victory over the Red Dragons.

“Catch the ball. That’s about it. I heard my right fielder say ‘track,'” Sears said of his thought process when the ball left the bat. ” I thought ‘let’s get out of here.’ Mrs. White makes amazing cookies and I was hungry.”

The drive came off the bat of Maple Grove No. 2 hitter Jackson Gowan, who was up as the tying run with Jake Vaillancourt on third base after his three-run triple gave the Red Dragons hope.

Clymer/Sherman/Panama second baseman Trent Burchanowski throws to first base during Monday’s game. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

“You just never know. Their outfielders did a really nice job today,” Maple Grove head coach Ryan Lucas said. “As soon as I saw he had a good track on it, I knew he wasn’t going to give up on it. He sure didn’t. He made a great catch out there.”

Sears pitched into the sixth inning, allowing four hits and four walks while striking out 10 before turning the ball over to reliever Kurtis Olsen, who walked in a run before getting out of the inning.

“Derek has been our No. 2 this year, but he’s pitched like a No. 1,” C/S/P head coach Jake Marino said. ” … He doesn’t have to throw hard. He’s hitting knees … and he’s doing awesome with that.”

C/S/P (8-0, 8-0) added four runs in the top of the seventh inning to seemingly put the game out of reach. Blake Kopta led off with a walk and Austin White walked with one out, spelling the end of Tucker Fenton’s afternoon on the mound. The junior right-hander allowed three hits and five walks while hitting one batter and striking out 13.

“He’s a great pitcher. … Sit in the zone and hit the fastballs, let the breaking stuff go by,” Sears said of the approach against Fenton. ” … A lot of guys had great at-bats against one of the best, if not the best pitcher in the league.”

Maple Grove’s Colin McPherson flips a ball to Tucker Fenton covering first base during Monday’s CCAA Division 2 West game against Clymer/Sherman/Panama in Bemus Point. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

Sears greeted Jake Vaillancourt with a single to load the bases before Gabe Roth was hit by a pitch to force in a run. Trent Burchanowski followed with a three-run double over the head of the Red Dragons’ left fielder to make it a 9-3 game.

“That’s really tough as a high school guy when you have two sports you really love to play and you have to choose,” Marino said of Burchanowski, who is also an accomplished wrestler. ” … He works his tail off every day. He has fun with the game. He enjoys playing it.”

Maple Grove (6-2, 6-2) did not go quietly. Colin McPherson led off with a walk and after a strikeout, Triston Loomis grounded into what could’ve been a double play, but an error prolonged the game. After another strikeout, Conner Reagle and Adam Brisky walked — Brisky’s forcing in a run.

The Wolfpack turned the game over to White on the mound, and he gave up a sinking line drive to center field that turned into a three-run triple for Vaillancourt when it got by a diving Sears.

“You have to know with two outs and the bases loaded, it’s a no-doubles situation,” Sears said. “The scoreboard was in our favor. … I just tried to make a play and made a dumb play instead.”

Maple Grove shortstop Jake Vaillancourt tags out Clymer/Sherman/Panama's Micah Willink attempting to steal during Monday's game in Bemus Point. P-J photo by Matt Spielman

But the senior more than made up for it with Gowan at the plate, when he ended the game and stayed down momentarily before getting to his feet and joining his teammates’ celebration.

“He redeemed himself quick,” Marino said. “He didn’t put his head down. He came right back and made an awesome play in center to wrap it up for us.”

Roth put C/S/P on the scoreboard in the first inning when he hit a two-run home run to dead center field off Fenton.

“In my opinion, Gabe is the best player in the league,” Sears said. ” … You get on and you know most likely we’re getting a hit, and it’s most likely not going to be a single.”

The Wolfpack made it 4-0 in the third as White reached on an error, Sears was hit by a pitch and Roth walked. Burchanowski followed with a sacrifice fly and Sears scored on a wild pitch.

Sears added an RBI double to center field in the top of the fifth inning before Fenton hit an RBI triple and McPherson hit an RBI single in the bottom of the inning for the Red Dragons.

“I thought both guys pitched really well tonight,” Lucas said. “They hit the ball well and their hits found the gaps.”

C/S/P will now look to wrap up a league title Wednesday when it hosts Chautauqua Lake in Sherman.

“We’re a great football team and it’s carrying right over to this,” Sears said. ” … It’s amazing playing with these guys. We’re brothers.”

“We’ve got a young team. Ten out of our 16 guys are sophomores and we have three senior leaders,” Marino added. “A lot of credit goes to those boys.”

NOTES: Sears reached base four times with a pair of singles, a walk and a hit by pitch, and scored four runs. Roth was also on base all four plate appearances with a home run, a double, a walk and a hit by pitch. … Six different players had hits and six scored runs for the Red Dragons. Loomis was they only one to score twice. … Maple Grove travels to Westfield on Wednesday.