The first ever MIAA C Conference Baseball Championship Tournament got underway yesteday with one upset and another near upset, as Beth Tfiloh and St. John's Catholic Prep advanced in the winner's brack, while St. Frances and Saints Peter & Paul fell to the elimination bracket.

In Easton, third-seeded St. John's knocked off #2 Saints Peter & Paul, 6-1, behind an impressive pitching performance from Sean Connole.

Cannole tossed a complete game and struck 13.  The offense was fueld by two hits each from Stephen Semelsberger, Ryan McDowell and Alex Rivera, while Derek Macierowski had a triple for the Vikings.

In Brooklandville, top-seeded Beth Tfiloh, which rolled through the C Conference regular season undefeated, were pushed to the limit by fourth-seeded St. Frances, but the Warriors managed to prevail, 3-2.

Junior Arky Staiman pitched six excellent innings, allowing the two St. Frances runs, to earn his third win of the year over the Panthers.  Warrior ace Aaron Gillette came in to pitch a scoreless seventh inning for the save, but it did not come without a few nervous moments, as St. Frances was able to move the tying run to third base before Gillette closed things out.

Gillette also drove in the only runs for the Warriors and scored as well with some "heads-up" baserunning.  
 
The tournament will resume on Thursday, as St. John's faces Beth Tfiloh at Sudbrook and St. Frances crosses the Bay Bridge to meet Saints Peter & Paul in Easton.  The Beth Tfiloh/St. John's winner will advance to the tournament final, next Tuesday, at Joe Cannon Stadium, while the loser will await the winner of the St. Frances/Saints Peter & Paul contest in the elimination bracket.