59ers cruise to 10th straight title

Updated: May 30, 2011 9:17PM

RENSSELAER — It was like taking a walk in the park on a sunny day for Andrean.

No worries none at all in their 12-1 five inning victory over Griffith Monday in the Rensselaer baseball sectional. Heck, there weren’t any hitches the whole day after Mike Sammon started the victory parade with a 10-strike-out perfect game 21-0 victory over Knox in the morning semifinals.

The 59ers have been there, done that so many times (it was the 10th straight sectional title for them) that anything less than a championship is a disappointment.

“Good players,” Andrean coach Dave Pishkur said when asked what the secret to their success is. “Make sure you have really good players.”

Like sophomore pitcher Zac Ryan, who raised his record to 8-1. Ryan struck out eight and only gave up two hits on a day that was made for scoring runs in droves with the wind blowing out to left-field at about 25 miles per hour.

Didn’t affect Ryan one bit.

He had a shaky first inning after the first two Griffith batters reached on singles. The Panthers scored once on a passed ball and two wild pitches.

But they blew an opportunity to get more on the board when Jesse Smith, the third man up in the inning, tried to bunt. He popped it up to Ryan and Ryan tossed it to second, forcing out Garrett Litke who had already broken for third.

That was the Panthers’ moment to do some damage.

“Maybe if we could’ve score three or four there, we could’ve put some pressure on them,” Griffith coach Brian Jennings said.

After that, Ryan settled down and started painting the corners.

He only gave up one walk after that and no hits. Ryan just kept getting stronger as the game progressed.

“I just found my rhythm in the second inning,” he said.

The 59ers delivered a first inning body blow when Tyler Ochi lifted one into the jet stream in left field for a three-run home run on a 3-and-1 count. The homer just made it so much easier for Andrean.

“We knew Zach was going to settle down,” Ochi said. “I think everyone settled down and we got the bats going after that.”

Zachary Goldasich added another three run homer in the fifth and the 59ers were able to cruise home with the victory. Griffith starter Calvin Bonewits lasted just a third of an inning for the Panthers, who still managed to win 10-of their last 11 games despite the loss.

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