Pierson baseball falls in regional final, but takes pride in strong season

SAUGERTIES —In one of its toughest battles of the year, the Pierson baseball team’s season came to an end on Saturday at Lorenz Field. 

Pierson took on Burke Catholic of Goshen in the Southeast Regional Final and fell, 3-1, ending its season. The Whalers’ bats struggled to get anything going against Burke Catholic pitcher Mason Gove, who allowed no earned runs on four hits and struck out eight in a complete-game effort.

Burke Catholic (13-8) scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the second inning on an RBI double by centerfielder Aaron Drucker, a sacrifice fly by second baseman Matt Sorge and a run-scoring single by Gove himself.

Pierson (13-4) made things interesting in the top of the fifth inning when second baseman Justin Gardiner reached on a throwing error by Sorge, allowing pinch runner Brian Schroeder to score the team’s lone run. Pierson starting pitcher Braeden Mott and relief pitcher Nathan Dee each tossed zeros over the next two innings to keep their squad in it, but Gove was too stingy and locked down the win.

The loss brought Pierson coach Bob Manning’s first year as skipper to an end. Despite the disappointing defeat, Manning took pride in the season his players gave him.

“It was a successful season,” Manning said. “Obviously we wanted to go further. It’s a privilege to be here, and it gives us something to strive for next year to get back to this and further. My seniors really were an influential group on me as a first-year head coach. I had eight seniors, and this group I’m going to remember for a long time, because they were something special.”

Mott struggled with his command of his fastball for most of the afternoon, but he was able to use his secondary stuff — notably his curveball — to escape trouble. He struck out five and scattered just four hits over five innings pitched.

He bounced back well from the tough second inning, as he surrendered just one hit over the rest of the game.

“Braeden was phenomenal,” Manning said. “He didn’t get hit hard. It was just timely hitting on their part.”

On offense, catcher Jeffrey Gregor, designated hitter Lucas Iulo and Dee each recorded a hit for Pierson. Dee also pitched the bottom of the sixth inning and struck out three to strand the bases loaded.

After completing the program’s best season since 2019 when it went to the state championship, Manning reiterated that his group will be back on a mission in 2025.

“They’re a dedicated group of young men,” Manning said. “We’ll miss our seniors sorely, but we’ll be ready to fill those gaps and try to get back here next year. We have a fresh crop coming up and a lot of young talent, too. So I’m excited about the future. Sad about this game, but I’m proud of them.”