Shawn Powell has had the weather for Binghamton on his phone since the Chapel Field baseball team lost in the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class D championship game last June.

He checks it often because the goal has always been to get back to Binghamton to finish the job.

The Lions took that first step on Saturday, winning the Section 9 Class D championship in emphatic fashion, riding a 12-run second inning to a 21-3 win over the Eldred Yellowjackets at Lorenz Field in Saugerties.

The game was called after five innings due to the 15-run rule.

“It feels like another year,” pitcher Leam Powell said. “Another year game, pushing through.”

More like exploding through, beating up on starting pitcher Josh Warming.

Logan Garvey got the Lions on the board in the first inning when he doubled home Bryce Hollo with the game’s first run. Garvey scored on an error, and Will Wilson singled home a run as the Lions took a 4-0 lead.

That was all Powell would have needed, but the Lions pounded out six more hits and 12 runs in the second inning to take a 16-0 lead. Mikey Bonagura singled home two runs in the inning, and Aaron Falkena had an RBI single. Jonah McDuffie also dumped a double into shallow right field. Bonagura had five RBIs in the second inning alone as he doubled home three more runs.

“We’ve been talking all week about just playing really good baseball and staying focused and putting our foot on the throttle and keeping it there,” coach Powell said. “Our guys hit a lot of two-strike pitches to get base hits, which was crucial for us to keep turning the lineup over.”

It was the third time the two teams had faced each other this season, and the Lions have won all three. They beat the Yellowjackets, 11-0 on April 14 and then 9-0 on May 11.

Eldred got their only runs in the fourth inning as they scored three off Powell and the Chapel Field defense.

“That’s kind of what happened in the fourth inning,” Leam Powell said. “I got comfortable and then stuff started not working because it’s such a long break between innings. It’s nice knowing that you have that insurance.”

Powell, the Lions’ top pitcher, only threw four innings, as the large lead gave Hollo an opportunity to pitch the game’s fifth and final inning. He worked around a leadoff walk and a wild pitch, striking out three Eldred hitters for a scoreless inning.

“We have three guys that we can go to,” coach Powell said. “Mike Bonagura and Bryce, and it’s been difficult getting them some time because it’s been literally two weeks since (we’ve played). It was good to have Bryce get in there and just get batters out.”

The Lions have another week off before playing again, as they will return to Lorenz Field on Saturday to face Section 11 champion Bridgehampton. A win Saturday will send them back to the state semifinals in Binghamton.

“We just will work on executing plays a little better,” Leam Powell said. “I’m going to work on some pitches.”