Sophomore Andrew Noe comes through with a walk-off hit in the bottom of the eighth and Kellenberg has captured the 2025 NSCHSAA Championship with a 3-2 win over Chaminade ! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/OvBv39K4LE
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 27, 2025
When Pat Miles took over the Kellenberg varsity head coach job in 2021, he nearly reached the mountain top in year one. It was the same story in year two – reaching the Championship series before losing to Chaminade.
“This team has been a road block for 5 years now,” said Miles, following the game. “They’re such a good team, they’re so fundamentally sound and so well coached. Winning a playoff game in this league is an accomplishment, winning several playoff games and a championship is an amazing accomplishment. I’m just so thrilled for the boys, so thrilled for our school and so thrilled for everyone involved.”
In year five, it was the Firebirds who are hoisting the trophy.
After losing Game 1, 2-1, the Firebirds bounced back in Game 2 and held on by the score of 4-3 in a nail biter, as the tying run reached third with one out, before Kevin Prosceo was able to slam the door.
On Tuesday, it was sophomore Andrew Noe who was the hero. Stepping to the plate with the score knotted at 2-2 and the bases loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning, the left-handed hitter ripped one over the right fielder’s head for the dramatic win, propelling the Firebirds (18-8) to their first championship since 2017.
Noe, who is the younger brother of Kenny Noe (2024 graduate of Kellenberg and freshman at Monmouth University) stepped to the plate in the same spot in the bottom of the sixth, with the score tied and the bases loaded. He put together an impressive at bat, fouling off four consecutive two-strike pitches before ultimately grounding out to second. Although it didn’t result in a run, it certainly provided some confidence that he could come through if given another shot.
“I wasn’t really nervous. I had confidence in myself, I had confidence in my teammates. I was just looking fastball there,” said Noe, who was named MVP of the Championship Series.
The rally started with two outs and nobody on. Senior LF Ryan Langner, who had made a sparking defensive play an inning earlier, got things going with a line drive single to center. Freshman catcher Michael Otto drew a walk on a full count to move the winning run into scoring position. The next batter, Carson Fessler, singled to left field. With the outfielder playing shallow, there was no chance of Langner being able to score. That brought up Noe for his shot at redemption. After taking the first pitch for a called strike, he jumped all over a fastball and drove it into the gap and etched his name into Kellenberg’s storied history. The Kellenberg student section stormed the field and joined in on the celebration.
The winning pitcher, Evan Williams, is the younger brother of Andrew Williams – who was part of Kellenberg’s incredible 2017 pitching staff which compiled an ERA under 1.00 and captured the NSCHSAA Championship in a memorable game against St. John the Baptist on this same field. Williams pitched a workmanlike 1-2-3 inning and gave his team a chance to win in the bottom of the inning, which is exactly what he did.
He relieved Chris Parisi, who grinded his way through 7 innings. Parisi allowed runs in each of the first two innings, but was able to bear down and work out of every gam he put himself in. He allowed four hits, seven walks and two hits batsmen but was able to side step trouble each time.
In the top of the first inning, Chaminade was able to get on the board on an RBI ground out by Colin Cashin. They would load the bases with one out, but Parisi used a curveball to strikeout Vaughn Steinert for the second out and induce a ground out to shortstop to end the inning.
Chaminade sent senior RHP Kenny Meliere (Stonehill-commit) to the mound. He was on top of his game early, firing a 1-2-3 inning. Chaminade would add another run in the second inning when Danny Nawrocki singled, advanced on a ground out and scored on an RBI single by Colin Cashin. At the point, with Parisi on the ropes, Chaminade could’ve knocked him out of the gate. Kellenberg’s bullpen was active all game and Pat Miles stated if they took a 3-run lead he would’ve made a move. Parisi never let it happen, as he got a fielder’s choice off the bat of cleanup hitter Danny Anicito to end the inning.
Top 1: Colin Cashin drives in Collin Anderson to give Chaminade a 1-0 lead pic.twitter.com/MqGYIJ0waO
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 27, 2025
The game remained 2-0 until the bottom of the third. Carson Fessler jump started the Firebirds offense with a well-struck triple to right field. In that moment, you just had the sense that they would find a way to not waste this opportunity. Andrew Noe ripped a single just past the glove of the second baseman to score Fessler and make it a 2-1 game. The following batter, Mario Coscia, followed with a triple of his own to make it 2-2. With a chance to take the lead, the next three batters were retired to keep the game tied.
That score would hold as each team squandered some run scoring opportunities and the pitchers did their jobs. Jack Pfeifer would come in for Chaminade and fired a scoreless fourth inning, working around a walk and a single issued to Carson Fessler. Both teams went 1-2-3 in the fifth inning.
Top 6: A huge break for Kellenberg as Chaminade’s runner is thrown out attempting to advance on a pitch in the dirt
Game remains 2-2 pic.twitter.com/l4lUNMyXiN
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 27, 2025
The sixth inning was a pivotal moment in the game. After the first batter was retired, Jake Madsen singled to right field and advanced on a wild pitch. Matt Manopella drew a walk to put the go-ahead run in scoring position. Kellenberg caught a break, however, when Madsen was caught in between second and third while trying to advance on a pitch in the dirt. He was thrown out at third for the second out of the inning. The next batter struck out to end the inning.
Mid 6: Parisi strands a runner with a strikeout
6 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 7 BB, 2 Ks pic.twitter.com/n8L9Bg9SJV
— Axcess Baseball LI (@axcessbaseball) May 27, 2025
As previously mentioned. Kellenberg loaded the bases in the home half of the sixth, but Noe grounded out to second to end the inning.
Both teams went quietly in the seventh to send the game into extras, which is when Kellenberg was able to capitalize and advance to the New York State Catholic League tournament next weekend at St. John’s University. Kellenberg will face the winner from Buffalo.
