HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL: ONE PITCH CHANGES MOMENTUM AS SEASON ENDS FOR ELMIRA IN REGIONALS (24 PHOTOS) (2025-06-05)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
WAVERLY — Into the fourth inning it was a 2-1 game, but sometimes one pitch can change everything.

One swing off the bat of Nick Mondesando and Ketcham suddenly had a 4-1 lead and they never looked back as the season ended for the Express after a 4-1 loss to Roy C. Ketcham in the New York State subregional round.

“Very proud,” Elmira coach Jason Manwaring said of his team. “We have been saying that for the last month. We could have folded up tent when we were 4-11. Kids came every day and worked hard. That’s all you can ask for. That’s what I just told them that’s a life skill. That’s not a basketball skill, that’s a lief skill that when things are down you continue to work hard. That’s what I’m most proud of. That’s a skill they can take later in life.”

The Express had won eight straight games going into Thursday and they struck first in the opening inning on Thursday.

Logan Demember doubled to lead off the bottom of the first and Noah Cain bunted to move him to third. Aedan Palmer walked to put runners on the corner and with two outs, Quinn Hanrahan singled home the first run of the game.

Elmira had five hits in the game and they walked four times, but they just weren’t able to come up with the big hit in the game

“That’s baseball,” Manwaring said. “We felt we had a really good game plan coming in. Didn’t strike out a lot, put the ball in play, hit the ball hard at some people. But, unfortunately, one swing for them and it looks a little different.”

Ketcham is a team that is consistently in the state final four.

“We knew they were a quality team,” Manwaring said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t have key hits in those games. The Ithaca series we booted the ball around and you lose a couple tough ones there. They are a good group of kids who work hard. We knew we were a game away from things clicking to sort of turn around.

“They are a tough team. Obviously a big program that plays on the state stage every single year. But, at this point you’ve got to beat good teams. We are going to continue to work hard as a program and get better and continue to try and compete at this level.”

Aedan Palmer and Demember had doubles and Hanrahan, Cain and Logan Palmer had hits in the game.

Aedan Palmer went 4 2/3 innings, striking out five. While he allowed seven hits and seven runs, five earned, it was one mistake that really changed things after he pitched well to begin the game.

“That’s what our pitching coach just told him,” Manwaring said. “One pitch kind of changes the complexion of the game. We thought maybe we were going to walk him, but at that point he was 0-2 and we felt we had a good approach with him and unfortunately got a two-strike pitch that he hit out of the ballpark.”

Demember worked the final 2 1/3 innings, allowing a hit and two runs, striking out two.

John Esposito worked six innings for Ketcham, striking out six and allowing a run on four hits.

While the season comes to an end, the Express won a sectional title, and won eight straight before Thursday’s game.

“Great group of kids,” Manwaring said. “I enjoyed coming to practice every single day, because they didn’t stop working. In the past you may have some teams when you struggle it’s easy to not want to be there. But, they wanted to get better because they knew that they were a game or two away from being a pretty good team.”
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PHOTOS BY BRIAN FEES

PHOTO GALLERY FROM THE GAME.


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