Eight seniors will never again play in a Wallkill uniform after the Panthers’ 7-2 loss to the Section 1 champion Eastchester Eagles in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association regional baseball championship at Cantine Field in Saugerties.

But they left with quite the resume.
Since they joined the program, the eight seniors, led by Kyle DeGroat have posted 63 victories, 33 consecutive Mid Hudson Athletic League victories and were back-to-back MHAL Division I champions.
They’ve made two regional championship appearances, which is where they got stuck for the second straight season.

However, the Panthers were never able to get going on Saturday, giving up three runs in the second to fall behind 3-0 and giving up another four in the sixth inning.
The Eagles took a 2-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Aidan Schultze and an RBI single by Jason Ugalde.

Sean Asendorf got the Panthers on the board in the fourth inning when he doubled to left field, scoring Mason Franklin. Asendorf came around to score on Ryan Mayer’s RBI single.

Connor Griffin pitched into the fourth inning for the Panthers, allowing three runs on four hits. He walked three and struck out five. Mayer threw three innings, and gave up four runs in the sixth inning, three earned. He walked two and struck out three.

Brady Dunleavy led the Eagles with two RBIs and Kieran McCloskey had three hits.

Jake Warnock went the distance for the Eagles allowing two runs on three hits. He struck out nine.

The Panthers rode a 3-run third inning to a 3-1 victory over Section 4 champion Horseheads on Thursday’s subregional.

Kyle DeGroat became the first 20-game winner in school history with a complete-game three-hitter and 11 strikeouts. He didn’t allow a base runner after the fourth inning.
He also drove in a run with a single in the second inning. Ryan Rauschenbach scored and drove in a run and Ryan Mayer scored on a passed ball. Jake Spindler singled and scored.

Chris Wager threw out a runner stealing and made a diving catch in foul territory on a bunt attempt.

The Panthers’ eight seniors – DeGroat, Asendorf, Niko Mandich, Wager, Julian Butcher, Spencer Freer, Kody Best and Jake Spindler – will all go to college and play baseball.