Utica Post 229 pulled together an exciting two-out rally in the bottom of the ninth in an attempt to keep their New York State title hopes alive, but the late offensive outburst came up short in a 9-7 decision to Maine-Endwell.

Officially, Utica still has a slim chance to advance to the semifinals, but they'll need to win their final game, get help in the other game in their pool and hope everything shakes out in a complex three-way tie breaking procedure.

With two-out and the bases loaded in the final half inning, Utica's Parker Goldsmith smacked a two-out triple over the right fielder's head that made it to the wall, scoring three and bringing the tying run to the plate. Vito Castronovo followed with a hard hit liner that would have scored Goldsmith but it was hit directly at M-E's second baseman who jumped to snag the game's final out.

Had it not been for a bloop two-out, two-run single in the top half of inning, Goldsmith's pop could have tied the game. But, in the top of the ninth, Maine-Endwell's Connor Wasilnak dropped-in a perfectly placed single that fell just before Utica's second baseman, left and center fielder could reach it.

The loss sends Utica to 0-2 in the tournament, and likely dashed their state title hopes. Utica Post will play a third and final game on Thursday at 4:30 against the Saratoga Stampede (1-1).

Maine-Endwell improved to 2-0, currently the only undefeated team in the tournament's Air Force pool. They'll play Rockland (1-1) at 9am Thursday morning and have advanced to the semis regardless of the outcome of their third game of round robin play.

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