As the clock ticks down on the Section V baseball season, these are the teams to watch

Time, when it comes to the regular season in Section V baseball, is almost up.

The regular season closes May 15.

That leaves little time for local high school ballclubs to work on the areas they need in order to win a Section V championship.

Teams from Kendall, near Lake Ontario, to Whitesville, near the border with Pennsylvania, played through another spring, seemingly on fast-forward.

How long can your team maintain win streaks? There is no room for rebounds in Section V baseball postseason tournaments. Lose, and the ballclub is out.

How effective and efficient is the pitching? More than two strike throwers are needed in the postseason, because pitch counts for pitchers are enforced.

How strong is the batting order? A team further along in the tournament seems to always end up in a game where it needs to rally. The number of runs needed depends on its' pitching and defense.

Here are the teams in Section V that may have the answer to those and other questions through May 9 as one of the area's best:

Aquinas

Coach: Ray Manioci, 7th year at Aquinas, 13th overall.

Section V classification: A

This season: 10-6, no league, independent schedule.

Top pitchers: Michael Calogero, junior, right-hander; Alexis Rosado, junior, right-hander.

Big bats: Lucas Leone, junior, outfield; Mason Phillips, senior, infield; Tre Walker, senior, outfield.

Short swings: Won six games in a row from the start of the season, then lost four in a row and right after that, won four in a row. … Took on Honeoye Falls-Lima (5-1 win), McQuaid (9-5 loss), Canandaigua twice (lost both), Pittsford Mendon (lost), Batavia (8-6 win), Northstar Christian Academy (8-2 win), Pittsford Sutherland (15-7 loss). … Aquinas is one of those teams that is aggressive on the basepaths. … Walker and Leone are fourth-year varsity players, while Calogero is in his third season … Senior catcher Jared Swift also has hurt opponents with at-bats.

Batavia Notre Dame

Coach: Rick Rapone, fourth season.

Section V classification: B

This season: 15-1, the pace-setter in Genesee Region Division 2.

Top pitchers: Jaden Sherwood, senior, right-hander; Ryan Fitzpatrick, senior, right-hander; Evan Fitzpatrick, freshman, right-hander.

Big bats: Jay Antinore, senior, center field; Joe DiRisio, senior, catcher/outfield; Chase Cummings, senior, second base; Chase Antinore, freshman, first base/outfield; Fitzpatrick, senior, shortstop; Sherwood, senior, shortstop.

Short swings: Batavia Notre Dame, a state semifinalist last season in Class C, again looks strong. Make that very strong. … Only loss was to Oakfield-Alabama, 4-1 back on April 20. … Since then, winners of 12 in a row, before a game May 14 against Alexander, … According to the team's schedule on the Section V baseball website, the team plays a doubleheader on its diamond May 14 with Alexander and Northstar Christian Academy, another power among the schools. … Pitching is Batavia Notre Dame's top area, but the batting order also is above average. … Ryan Fitzpatrick plans to play at St. John Fisher University, Sherwood at SUNY Brockport and Antinore at Keuka College. …Sec tional championship level of success for player after player in other sports should keep the team firm but cool in pressure situations. … "This team should not be overwhelmed by any position it faces this season," Rapone said.

East High Eagles

Coach: Kyle Crandall, 23rd year.

Section V classification: A

This season: 17-0, schedule technically independent, instead of two-game series in Rochester City Athletic Conference.

Top pitchers: Miguel Matos, senior, right-hander; Omar Rodriguez, junior, right-hander.

Big bats: Kyle Markham, sophomore, catcher; Emille Diaz, junior, first base; Carlos Gaston, sophomore, shortstop; Matos, senior, third base.

Short swings: Eagles, once again, are the top team in the city. … While ineligible to win a RCAC regular season division title and the league's postseason tournament, the Eagles have one-sided victories over the other members. … East also has victories at Webster Thomas and over Pittsford Mendon . . . Possible No. 1 seed in Section V Class A tournament. … Matos and Rodriguez have 85 to 88 mile per hour fastballs. … Markham .412 batting average, .691 on-base percentage with 12 runs batted in through May 9. … Jefferson, in 1980, is the last team from the Rochester City School District to win a Section V baseball championship. … "These kids love baseball," Crandall said. "They play year-round, they are on very competitive travel teams in the summer. But the team motto has shifted, 'confidence not cockiness.' They have lived up to that. You have a chance to win if you believe you can win.”

Geneseo Blue Devils

Coach: Scott Miller, third year.

Section V classification: C2

This season: 11-5, clinched Livingston County Division 2 title May 8.

Top pitchers: Luke Davis, junior, right-hander; Phillip Dotterweich, senior.

Big bats: Kellen O'Brien, senior, second base; Tyler Churchfield, sophomore third base/outfield; Brady O'Brien, junior, first base; Dotterweich, junior, outfield.

Short swings: Just stopped a two-game losing streak, the longest of the season for the team. … Blue Devils (11-5) can call on a number of players to pitch and get desired results. … Won five in a row during a romp through the Livingston County, except for a 3-2 victory over Warsaw. … Split two matchups against Wayland-Cohocton, the league's Division I champion. … This is Dotterweich's fourth varsity season on a team full of third-year players. … Tyler Churchfield, a sophomore third baseman/outfielder, and sophomore shortstop/second base Preston Granger have showed up for the Blue Devils in their first varsity seasons.

Greece Athena Trojans

Coach: Tim Sova, third year

Section V classification: AA

This season: 12-4, Monroe County Division 3 champions.

Top pitchers: Connor Osier, senior, right-hander; Derrick Allen, junior, right-hander.

Big bats: Sammy Saucke, junior, shortstop; Ryan Grasley, senior, infield/outfield; Osier, senior, outfield/first base.

Short swings: The Trojans, sectional champions in 2023, were on a roll, a seven-game winning streak, before their game May 10 at Pittsford Mendon. … Look at the last three games of that streak. They scored 10 or more runs twice, and won the third game by shutout. … Pitching was described as "front end" by one coach in the division before the season. And there is plenty of depth, arms that can be called on. … Osier, one of the top talents in Section V, has committed to pitch at University of Houston. … Allen also has shined on the mound and at the plate. … Sova described the talented Saucke as an "elite decision maker on the field."

Northstar Christian Academy Knights

Coach: Dave Valle

Section V classification: C1

This season: 11-3, runaway winners of the Private-Parochial League.

Top pitchers: Tim Leary, senior, right-hander; Matt Allen, right-hander; Tysen Deaton, freshman.

Big bats: Parker Seeley, senior, first base; Micah Schwaderer, senior third base; Da'Vonn Stevens, junior, outfield; Allen, designated hitter; Leary, shortstop.

Short swings: Knights, Class D state tournament finalists last season, have talent and the willingness to play teams at larger schools, including Aquinas (lost 8-2). … Lost to Batavia Notre Dame 8-4 in April, but there is a rematch May 14. … Four-game winning streak before a rematch against Greece Olympia/Odyssey on May 11. … Leary has been dominant on the mound, Allen at the plate . . . Emergence of Deaton is a big boost for a team that will play teams at larger schools in the postseason.

Oakfield-Alabama Hornets

Coach: Mike Anderson, fourth season

Section V classification: C1

This season: 12-3, undefeated in Genesee Region Division I games.

Top pitchers: Avery Watterson, junior, right-hander; David Schnaufer, senior, right-hander.

Big bats: Brenden Wescott, senior, second base; Hunter Tobolski, sophomore, outfield; Austin Pangrazio, senior, third base; Watterson, junior, catcher; Schnaufer, junior, first base.

Short swings: Hornets seek a second sectional title in three seasons. … Losses were against Royalton-Hartland (6-5 score on April 26), Batavia Notre Dame (5-1) and LeRoy (14-5) on April 4 during a one-day tournament. … Schnaufer, possibly the team's best bat, is already in his third varsity season. … Tobolski is a newcomer to varsity who has produced in the batting lineup. … Bodie Hyde, an outfielder who has played five varsity season, is missed. Hyde is sidelined with an injury suffered during football season. … Hornets have scored 10 or more runs in nine games. … "Every practice we always stress hitting so that is something the program strives for, consistent and hard hitting, every season," Anderson said before the season.

Penn Yan Mustangs

Coach: Steve Bouchard

Section V classification: B

This season: 7-6.

Top pitcher: Brady Bouchard, senior, right-hander; Liam Chapman, senior, right-hander.

Big bats: Chapman, senior, outfield; Matt Tones, junior; Reed Bouchard, senior, catcher; Brady Bouchard, senior outfield.

Short swings: Mustangs have battled during Finger Lakes East play. … They swept Palmyra-Macedon, but Mynderse Academy, Wayne and Newark forced Penn Yan to settle for splits of season series. … Brady Bouchard, with 121 strikeouts in 45 2/3 innings, was undefeated on the mound before the final week of the regular season. He is headed to Binghamton University. …. Chapman, who plans to play at SUNY Brockport, and the Bouchards all hit a home run in a game against Pal-Mac. … Those three players were the engine during the team's 2023 Section V championship season.

Pittsford Sutherland Knights

Coach: Brandon DeRosa, eighth year.

Section V classification: A

This season: 12-5, repeated as Monroe County Division 4 champion.

Top pitchers: Paul Byrne, senior, right-hander; Chase Dermody, sophomore, right-hander; Jonathan Moore, senior, left-hander.

Big bats: Aidan Kress, sophomore, Jaxson Bernas, sophomore, infield/outfield.

Short swings: Good pitching can win a lot of games for teams, even ones without powerhouse lineups. … Team earned run average is 2.57, opponents batting average .216. … Byrne, one of the top players in Section V the last two seasons, has something to do with those numbers. He plans to pitch at SUNY Cortland next school year. … Dermody also is a factor on the mound. He struck out 27 batters in the first 18⅔ innings he pitche. …. Kress is among six sophomores on the field game in, game out. … "Sophomores have come in and closed games (as relievers)," DeRosa said. "All six play, and play a big role." …"We've been finding ways, but haven't scored a lot. We've manufactured runs," DeRosa said. "We walk a lot, which is good."

Victor Blue Devils

Coach: Sean Rucker, 28th year.

Section V classification: AA

This season: 14-3, clinched Monroe County Division 1 title May 8.

Top pitchers: Weston Elkovitch, senior; John Swartz, junior, right-hander; Nate Power, senior, right-hander.

Big bats: Nick Kriegelstein, junior, outfield; Garrett Clar, senior, shortstop; Swartz, junior, first base; Elkovitch, senior, first base/designated hitter.

Short swings: Blue Devils won eight out of 10 league games, including sweeps of Fairport, Rush-Henrietta and Penfield. … Two of the losses are against teams in Section V, Hilton and Webster Schroeder. … Winners of 10 games in a row before a matchup May 10 against Brighton. … Elkovitch has been very good on the mound and with a bat . . . Mitchell Schalberg, a senior second baseman/designated hitter/catcher, and senior outfielder/designated hitter Jameson Ricigliano also have delivered for the Blue Devils. … "Many of our players can play multiple positions and pitch," Rucker said. "They are athletic and compete in multiple sports."

Wayland-Cohocton Eagles

Coach: Steve Wager, 23rd season.

Section V classification: B

This season: 13-4, clinched first-place in Livingston County Division 1 on May 8.

Top pitchers: Matt Clark, junior, right-hander; Tony Schirmer, junior, right-hander.

Big bats: Ethan Loop, sophomore, catcher; Markus Brehm, senior, shortstop; Issac Mehlenbacher, senior, third base; Matt Feinman, senior, second base.

Short swings: Seeks first Section V title since 2013. … Brehm (fourth varsity season), Clark (third), Loop (third) and Mehlenbacher (third) have a high amount of experience. … Schirmer and Clark lost two pitching decisions combined in 2023, and are on track to come back in 2025. … These Eagles, led by Brehm, like to run on the basepaths. Stolen bases are valued and wanted. … Play two games to watch before sectionals, against Wellsville on May 13 and May 15 at Honeoye Falls-Lima.

How far can these Section V baseball teams go?

It is tough at the top of Section V baseball.

And so is the road to get to the top.

These teams may not be favorites to win one of the nine Section V tournaments and the title that comes along with that, but their progress through brackets is sure to be noted:

• Batavia: Blue Devils (8-10) are one of 14 teams in Class A. They could get another chance to play Pittsford Sutherland after the teams split the two-game series in Monroe County Division 4, with junior pitcher Bronx Buchholz, senior outfielder Cole Grazioplene and senior catcher/utility player Mekhi Fortes as key players.

• Churchville-Chili: Saints (13-4) were headed to the Section V Class AA in good shape, on a three-game winning streak before games at Fairport (on May 9), then against Irondequoit (May 11) and Rush-Henrietta (May 13) closed their regular season. A 5-0 victory over Greece Athena on April 18 was the most impressive of Churchville-Chili's wins. Michael Sardou, Parker Farnham and Braedon Reina are the Saints who get the most attention from opponents.

• Eastridge: Lancers (8-9) did have rough moments, but they also showed signs of improvement during Monroe County League Division 4 play, including season series splits with Batavia and Honeoye Falls-Lima. They have to make their way through the Class A sectionals. Senior outfielder Brennen Russo and junior pitcher/outfielder Xzavier Hughey are their best players.

• Fairport: Red Raiders (15-4), a sectional champion in 2023 with first-year varsity coach Kieran Murphy, missed out on the Monroe County Division I title, but know they are title contenders again. Two of the losses were to division champion Victor. They were on a five-game winning streak before their regular-season finale May 13 against Irondequoit. Sam Miller, a senior voted onto the 2023 Democrat and Chronicle All-Greater Rochester Team by coaches in Section V, has been good again. Nathan VanDeVoorde, Jackson Rucker, Patrick Lindquist and Sam Roselli are at the top of a possibly long list of producers.

• Gananda: Panthers (14-2) are almost finished with a strong run through the Wayne County league. East Rochester is the only team to hand Gananda a league loss. Gananda's other loss came in a non-league matchup against North Rose-Wolcott. Henry Shutt is a player who can pitch well start to start, pick up a bat and get two hits, at least that is key for the team. He is a sophomore in his third varsity season. There also could be more to come from sophomore catcher/pitcher Jackson Giancursio and junior outfielder Jack Frick.

• Greece Olympia/Odyssey: A member of the Monroe County league that plays an independent regular season schedule. The Griffins' season includes a five-game winning streak and the first win over a Monroe County league team since their creation from a merger four years ago. The Griffins (7-9) are in Class AA.

• Honeoye Falls-Lima: The Cougars won a sectional title last season, and there are enough players on this year's team who know how to work together to string a winning streak together, beginning with senior shortstop Aidan Neenan, senior third baseman Landon Hammond and junior catcher Conor Finn. HF-L is in that 14-team Class A tournament.

• LeRoy: Made the race for the Livingston County Division 2 title a decent one. Oatkan Knights (10-5) hit the ball, as pitchers can get beat by Alex Spezzano, Drew Strollo, Adam Woodworth, Jake Higgins and Luke Lathan. Jackson Spezzano is the team's top pitcher, and can unplug a lineup of hitters. The Oatkan Knights take all of this into the Class B tournament.

• McQuaid: The Knights (6-11) have taken some lumps, more than in recent seasons. But there is a grand total of five teams in the Class AAA tournament: Fairport, Edison/School Without Walls, Rush-Henrietta and Franklin/World of Inquiry. Fairport is the team to beat in this group, and the Knights defeated Rush-Henrietta 4-3 May 3. Conor Forkey, a sophomore, has been good on the mound and at times, among the team's better hitters.

• Pavilion/York: Owners of two four-game winning streaks. This ballclub hits, at least against opponents in the Livingston County league. The team scored 10 or more runs in all of its wins to this point. Dansville (11-1 score) and Warsaw (4-0 scored) pitchers did shut down Pavilion/York's lineup. Wayland-Cohocton, a team in Division 1 for the largest schools in the league, defeated Pavilion/York on May 7, 12-6.

• School of the Arts: SOTA defeated Edison/School Without Walls in the Rochester City Athletic Conference Tournament final May 9 to move the team's overall record to 13-6. The Silverhawks could enter the Section V Class A Tournament winners of five of their final six regular season games. Jack Wingert is the team's top pitcher, Ben Barnosky the best sparkplug in the batting lineup and sophomore Bruce Newton has delivered key hits. Henry Hawkinson dominated on the mound and at the plate in league games.

• Webster Schroeder: The Warriors opened their season with a five-game winning streak. They lost back-to-back games to Fairport, part of a window where the team lost three of four games, before May 10, the date of a game against Irondequoit. The Warriors, at times, held their own in Monroe County League Division 1 play. They split the two-game series with Victor and swept Hilton with Tyler Cannon, Jack Kelly and Jack Simpson as the biggest producers. They will try to make their way through the Section V Class AA tournament.

• Wellsville: A No. 1 seed in the Section V Class B tournament could come the Lions' way after 15 victories in the team's first 16 games. The Lions winning streak was at 12 games before a matchup against Addison on May 10, including victories over Wayland-Cohocton, Palmyra-Macedon and Hornell.

James Johnson, a graduate of Edison Tech in the Rochester City School District, has worked as a full-time journalist covering high school sports for the Democrat and Chronicle since 1996. Follow him @jjDandC on X (Twitter). You can contact him at JAMESJ@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Section V baseball: Teams poised for 2024 playoff push