ENDWELL - River Hawks' baseball opened up the Section IV Class A Championship on the road, falling to Maine-Endwell, 4-3 in game one of the best of three series. 

Owego jumped in front early on Thursday, scoring a run in the top of the first. Elijah Lewis led off the game with a double to left field. Lewis would take third on a passed ball, before being driven in by an Evan English base-hit to right.

OFA carried a 1-0 lead over the next two innings until the Spartans found their first run of the game in the bottom of the third. Maine-Endwell's Palmer reached on a single. Palmer advanced to second on a sac-bunt before scoring off a Spartan single to left field.

The fourth inning went by scoreless, but in the home half of the fifth inning, the Spartans broke up the tie with three runs to go up 4-1.

OFA didn't go down quietly, making a comeback attempt in the seventh. Joseph Palladino walked to start the final inning. Lewis and Conlan Taylor then hit back-to-back singles to load the bases.

English came to the plate next and worked the count full, eventually earning a walk to bring a run home. Two batters later, Dylan Brace would also walk to bring in a run, but Maine-Endwell picked up the final outs they needed to get out of the inning and take game one.

Lewis went 3-for-4 on the day, while scoring twice. English finished with two RBIs, while Taylor and Jack Buchsbaum each had a hit. Brace also drove in a run on the day.

Taylor got the start on the mound for Owego, giving up four earned, but striking out nine.

OFA and Maine-Endwell will play game two of the championship series on Friday in Owego.

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PHOTO: TCSR STOCK