Northern Columbia Brings Home Long Awaited District 15 Championship

Photo: Jake Martino / Upstate Sports Zone

Chatham NY- Crazy to think at one point in the game, Northern Columbia was down 5-1 in the District 15 Championship. But on Monday night, the magic turned in favor of NC in the fourth inning, and they didn’t stop till the end.

Chase Martino was the starting pitcher for Northern Columbia, going 4 innings, adding 7 strikeouts in the effort. He even included an 11 pitch, 2nd inning. Not only that, but Chase gave NC some insurance with a two home-run in the 5th.

Chase, not like other athletes his age, deals with Type One Diabetes. Chase being my brother for well, 13 years of my life, I’ve learned how he works with sports. This game he happened to be high, which in some cases is better then being low. When Chase becomes low he is very fatigued and worn out, and needs sugar. When he is high, he requires lots of water and hydration as well as an insulit correction to get the number back to “In range”. But when he is in the zone, he forgets everything exists except for that game. “I was shaking” Martino added after the game. And nothing mattered because when he got the opportunity, he was the star.

Being down 5-1 in the bottom of the fourth, it was all about the saying “We Aren’t Done Yet”. The saying was created by one of the coaches/parents and from observation it really drives the kids. But the one thing you need to know about that fourth, is that they weren’t done.

It all started with Brady “Hollywood” Holzhauer, singled up the middle. Nate Garafalo was up next, crushing a triple to score Holzhauer. Garafalo scored on a past ball, which made it 5-3. Martino got on the drop 3rd strike, and Wheeler got on base due to an error. Austin Race was up next, ripping a double to score Wheeler and Martino, tying the game at 5 runs apiece.

Moving ahead to the 5th, another big inning in the championship. Papas was HBP, which gave Mitch Keegan a chance to run the bases. Hollywood Holzhauer came back up and doubled. Both Keegan and Holzhauer scored on past balls, giving Northern Columbia a 7-5 advantage. The Garafalo walk setup the Martino 2-run blast to give NC the victory.

Garafalo closed out the game with a strikeout and from there it was celebration for NC. A bittersweet win, after having to play 4 straight away games, 3 being in Chatham. Finally getting that District flag that has been waiting to come home for a long time. “It’s a once in a lifetime kind of thing, the memory will last forever” Chase Martino added postgame.

But what happens next you are probably wondering? Northern Columbia awaits the winner of District 16, which from research is the winner of Indian Valley and Roundout Valley. The next game will be played this Saturday, in Rothermel Park, first pitch TBD.

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By Jake Martino

FINAL STATS

Northern Columbia