AVERILL PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) — When you have the heart of a champion, you’re never out of a game. And the Averill Park boys baseball team showed that Thursday afternoon, overcoming a three-run deficit after the top of the fifth inning, en route to an 11-5 home win against Cohoes.

“The guys are resilient,” said senior shortstop Mason Brown, who recorded two RBI. “(We) know how to battle back, and we never give up. And we just try to always stay in the game; keep the tempo up. And we feel like…if there’s innings to play, we have a chance to win. And I feel like that’s what we did today.”

The Warriors, who claimed last year’s Class A state title – their first in program history – are heating up after a slow start to the season. They’ve now rattled off four straight victories, but Thursday’s was the toughest to come by.

Cohoes led 3-2 heading into the top of the fifth inning, and scraped across two more runs: one coming off an errant pickoff attempt, allowing starting third baseman Nick Chicaway to score all the way from second base; the second came courtesy of a sacrifice fly from starting pitcher Zachary Garmley.

From there, Averill Park rattled off nine unanswered runs, scoring one in the bottom half of the fifth, and a whopping eight in the sixth frame. Twelve batters came to the plate in that sixth inning.

Averill Park head coach George Brooks believes that display of offensive firepower will serve his team well moving forward. “To know we can put up six runs up in an inning, eight runs up in an inning—whatever it may be—that’s a big deal,” said Brooks. “That’s a confidence boost for your guys to know that they’re capable at any point of putting runs up on the board like that. (And) it’s a good feeling for a coach…knowing it’s coming at any time.”

A pair of Warriors were perfect at the dish. Designated hitter Hunter Willett went 3-3 with two runs scored and an RBI. Second baseman Joe Blizinski went 2-2; he too scored a pair of runs, and drove one in. Brown, third baseman Brady Mazzeo and right fielder Max O’Connor all recorded two RBI.

Not to be overlooked was the pitching performance from Garmley, who started the game for Cohoes. He tossed five innings, allowed just two runs and struck out four, ending with a no-decision.

Averill Park (5-2) returns to action Friday, seeking its’ first Suburban Council victory against Troy. First pitch from Averill Park is set for 11:00 a.m. Cohoes (1-4) is back home Friday, and will host Cobleskill-Richmondville at 4:30 p.m.