Shen Baseball Captures First State Title

It was June 1, 2008 (I think), and we were the No. 1 seed in the Section II playoffs, having completed a great regular season. We were the No. 5 team in New York State for Class AA and we were playing Niskayuna, who had just beaten Amsterdam in a first-round game (we had a bye).

I knew I wasn't going to pitch that day, the ball was going to go to one of our two aces, but I knew we were ready to play, and ready to overcome the stigma that Shen teams had: That we were chokers.

Turns out, Niskayuna played a great game, and Chris Tyson dominated us and we lost 3-1. I never got the opportunity to win a state championship, or a sectional championship, or even play a semifinal game at Joe Bruno Stadium.

That's why, journalistic neutrality aside, I was extremely proud to see Shen capture its first state title the other day with a win in Binghamton.

I may not have been on the field, or on the team, but that win is a win for everybody, including the alumni, who helped pave the way.