Generals Rally Past Hudson Valley in Region III Quarterfinal Thriller

The Herkimer Generals showed championship composure on Thursday evening, overcoming an early six-run deficit with nine unanswered runs to defeat Hudson Valley CC 11–8 in the Region III Quarterfinals at Falcon Park. The comeback victory marked Herkimer's 23rd straight win, punching their ticket to the regional semifinals.

Trailing 8–2 after just three innings, Herkimer began chipping away at the lead before erupting in the top of the seventh for a seven-run frame that flipped the game on its head. With the bases loaded and one out, Shiryu Sato delivered the moment of the game, launching a grand slam to left field on a 3-2 pitch to give the Generals an 11–8 lead they wouldn't relinquish.

Sato finished the game with four RBI on one swing, and the Generals' offense totaled 12 hits in the high-stakes playoff win. Jaden Madrid also had a big day at the plate, going 2-for-4 with three RBI and two stolen bases, while Marvin Hill continued to set the tone from the top of the order, going 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles and two RBI.

After a rocky second inning that saw the Vikings put up seven runs, Brendan Rusnack settled in on the mound, ultimately tossing six innings while striking out seven. Justin Peralta was dominant in relief, earning the win with three shutout innings and six strikeouts to slam the door.

Defensively, Herkimer remained poised, turning a key double play and committing just one error after a shaky early start. The bullpen's lockdown effort and Sato's late-inning heroics proved too much for the Vikings to overcome.

With the win, Herkimer improves to 34–4 on the season and moves one step closer to a Region III title. They'll look to keep the momentum rolling in the semifinal round tomorrow vs. SUNY Niagara. First pitch is set for 12:00 PM.