GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Geneo Savoca swung the Cadets into the Class A finals after hitting a home run in the eighth inning of their semifinal game against No. 5 Burnt Hills for a walk-off win. Columbia exploded with an offensive furry against Queensbury to advance to the Class A finals.

The game was scoreless until the sixth inning. Burnt Hills struck first, scoring off a wild pitch from Scott Hanson. Logan McNeil showed solid base running awareness, cashing in on the opportunity to put the Spartans on the board first.

However, the Cadets came up with some timely offense in the bottom of the inning, thanks to Nico DeSanto. He popped a grounder up the gut to center field, which allowed Gianni DiCerbo to score from third base, tying the game at one.

Neither team scored after seven innings, so the game went to extra innings. In the bottom of the eighth, Geneo Savoca smashed a solo home run over deep right field, punching Albany Academy’s ticket to the championship on Friday. The final score was 2-1 over the Spartans.

The Cadets will play No. 2 Columbia Friday, May 26, at 7 PM at Joseph L. Bruno stadium.

In the game before the Cadets and Burnt Hills, the Columbia Blue Devils used a five-run third inning and a grand slam in their 12-2 win over No. 3 Queensbury.

Queensbury jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but the Blue Devils scored in the bottom of the first and third innings to take the lead. Jack Bennett hit a rainbow to left field, allowing Naim Greenberg-Nielsen to score and tie the game at two.

After the third inning, Columbia boosted their lead to 6-2 and scored again in the fourth and fifth. Andrew Gabriel lined a grounder to left field, scoring Steven Heller and extending their lead by six.

Then Bennett delivered the dagger with the bases loaded, crushing a grand slam over the left-field wall for a grand slam that ended the game in the fifth inning.