Dybus leads Wantagh to Class A state final, where it is edged by Pittsford Sutherland

ENDICOTT, N.Y. - If you ever happen to be in the area, look closely at the metal mesh fence guarding the home dugout at Union-Endicott High School. There may be claw marks.

Wantagh (25-5) didn't try to come back once, but twice, staging a four-run sixth inning rally to cut a 5-0 deficit against Pittsford Sutherland in the state Class A baseball final. Down 6-4 in the seventh, the Warriors scored once more but stranded runners on second and third to lose, 6-5, as the Knights won the championship.

"We were knocking on the door," coach Keith Sachs said. "I knew we were going to break through . . . but you need breaks, and we got no breaks."

It certainly looked that way, even in Wantagh's white-knuckle sixth inning. With the bases loaded, two outs and one run in, Matt Benedetto hit a gapper to right-center to score three runs and cut the deficit. He was called out on a delayed pickoff attempt at second to end the inning.

"We needed to get that one run and shorten the margin," Benedetto said.

By the time Benedetto came up to bat, pitcher Matt Barra "was losing control. I knew he would groove a pitch for me . . . And then I made the running mistake myself."

Despite coming up short in the bottom of the inning, the Warriors bench that had noticeably deflated on Grant Heyman's two-run shot in the top of the sixth was reinvigorated: shaking, clawing and otherwise manhandling the dugout fence in a frantic display.

SEE PHOTOSWantagh plays for Class A Championship

"It's hard to explain [the feeling] when you get that close," Benedetto said. "That's the funny thing about baseball. Anything can happen."

In the top of the seventh, anything did.

Aaron Frieda barely beat out an infield single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. Then Nick Flemister stuck out but reached first on a wild pitch. Brad Katzka hit a comebacker to reliever Chris Rom, who attempted to turn the double play. The Warriors got the force at second, but second baseman Ryan Sliwak threw wide to first, and the insurance run scored.

In the bottom of the seventh, Tom Megale drove in Matt Dybus on a fielder's choice. Pinch runner Joey Bracco took second on a delayed steal, but Novotny hit a shot to the second baseman to end the game.

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"Derek hit that ball hard," Benedetto said. "No regrets."

It was a quick reversal of fortunes from the euphoria Wantagh experienced only hours earlier in the semifinal against Lakeland. Dybus was masterful on the mound, outlasting Gatorade New York State player of the year, pitcher Jon de Marte, as Wantagh won, 2-1.

Dybus pitched a three-hitter, with one unearned run, one walk and eight strikeouts. Mike Addeo pushed in the go-ahead run with an RBI bunt single with one out in the third.

Down 1-0, Mike Rumel led off the inning with a triple to the base of the wall in left. With one out, Benedetto followed with an opposite-field triple to score Rumel. Addeo laid down a bunt that skittered passed de Marte to drive in Benedetto.

"He's been clutch all year," Sachs said of Benedetto. "He's been tremendous for three years . . . The kids are phenomenal. We love this group. The way they act and behave. Just trying to win a state championship was fun.

"We were one hit away."