JEFFERSONVILLE, NY — On April 28, as the heavens heralded an unwelcome rainstorm that would descend on Lions Field during the non-league varsity baseball game between Sullivan West and Eldred, it was a “Battle of the 4s.”

Brandon Haas, Bulldogs pitcher #44, faced Yellowjackets hurler #4 Joshua Warming in a matchup that stretched into extra innings, and ended in a 2-1 win for the visitors when Eldred’s #4 scored on an error in the 8th frame.

The Bulldogs posted a run in the first frame as Jake Hubert singled, stole 2nd. reached the hot corner on a passed ball, and scored on a ground out by Jaymes Buddenhagen.

The game remained 1-0 until the 6th inning, when Eldred (3-5) tied it up 1-1, when Mason Tice legged it home, and then closed it out in the 8th frame. That’s when Warming crossed the plate on a Bulldogs miscue to end the game in favor of the Yellowjackets.

“It was a tough loss,” said Ty Ebert, coach of the Bulldogs swatters (3-7), noting that his pitcher hurled a 6-hitter and fanned 8, while Jacob Hubert posted 2 singles and stole 3 bases.

Joshua Santoro, Eldred’s helmsman, said his team’s winning king of the mound pitched a 3-hitter and fanned 10, and while at the plate posted 2 hits and scored the victory run.

The Yellowjackets are led on the field by senior captain Sean Furler. They also have five other upperclassmen on the roster (Frankie Whitmore, Paddy Adams, Justin Bangs, Matt Ranaudo and Dominic Furlipa).

Santoro’s take on the season?

“It’s a little frustrating; we’re a young squad, not really getting there yet as a team, but hopefully today’s victory will get us on the path where we need to be… We have a lot of promise and a lot of talent, we need to start moving up to that potential.”

Asked to expound on the team’s goals for the year, Santoro replied, “Be the section champions… We have a lot of work to do, but we have the ability.”