OSSINING, N.Y. Ossining High School hosted the first annual Christian Federico Memorial Baseball Tournament on Sunday, and the home team fell just short of the championship.
Ossining defeated Saunders, 3-2, in the first game, which turned into a pitchers duel between the Prides Mike Haag and Saunderss Matt Mojoca. Haag threw a complete game and gave up two runs, one earned, on four hits and struck out 11 batters. Mojoca pitched all six innings for Saunders and gave up three runs, two earned, on four hits and struck out four.
Ossining took a 3-0 lead after the fourth inning, and Saunders responded with a run in the top of the fifth. The Blue Devils rallied for a run in the top of the seventh, but Haag closed the door on them.
The championship game pitted Ossining against Scarsdale, which defeated Mount Vernon earlier in the day. The Pride participated in yet another pitchers duel with even fewer runs than the first game.
Ossinings Rashawn Armstrong and Scarsdales Andrew Crean were both brilliant on the mound, neither allowing a run through seven innings. Armstrong finally slipped, and the Raiders Stephen Gobes drove in the games lone run in the top of the eighth.
Armstrong threw eight innings and allowed four hits while striking out nine. Crean also gave up four hits and struck out six. Matthew Augarten came on in relief in the bottom of the eighth inning and loaded the bases with no outs, but induced a ground ball double play and a fly out to end the game and give Scarsdale the championship.
The tournament was held in honor of 2008 Ossining High School graduate Christian Federico, a former varsity player who died at the University of Maryland while jogging.
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