By Ian Nicholas
Box Score Photos
On Tuesday night from Shuttleworth Park, a 9-5 Mohawks’ (42-6-1) win against the Muckdogs (32-16) put Amsterdam one victory away from its sixth PGCBL Championship. In the process, the Mohawks won their 42nd game of the summer, setting a new single-season win record. Tonight, Amsterdam travels over three hours west to Batavia for Game 2 (and potentially, Game 3) of the PGCBL Championship.
All-Star Cade Citelli (Houston) made his seventh start for the Mohawks and couldn’t keep the Muckdogs off the board early. In the top of the first, Josh Leadem (Rochester) reached second on an E5 and moved to third on a single from Kyle Corso (Columbia). With runners on the corners and nobody out, former Mohawk Tyler Cannoe (Salve Regina) grounded into a 6-4-3 double play that allowed Leadem to come home from third. Amsterdam fired back in the bottom of the inning against Batavia’s starter, Tyler Prospero (Niagara). After a flyout and a strikeout, All-Star Zach Gardiner (Marshall) swung at the first pitch he saw and rocked one to right to tie it at 1-1. Citelli settled down in the second as the Mohawks took the lead in the home half of the frame. Josh Overbeek (Pittsburgh) walked and got to third off a Connor Moore (Florida State) double. For the second night in a row, Nick Giamarusti (John A. Logan CC) drove in the go-ahead run with an infield single that scored Overbeek.
In the top of the third, Citelli made history as he chucked an immaculate inning. Jerry Reinhart (Akron) and Alex Torres (Felician) went down looking, while Caleb Rodriguez (Kean) struck out swinging. Amsterdam carried the momentum into the bottom of the frame as it put runners on the corners with one out. Cade Bush (Florida State) grounded one to third and the Muckdogs tried to flip a 5-4-3 double play. However, Bush beat it out and reached on an RBI fielder’s choice that scored Gardiner and made it 3-1 Mohawks. Batavia got one back in the top of the fourth, though, as Cannoe touched home plate off a ground rule double from Daniel Burroway (Alvin CC). Prospero kept it a one-run affair as he retired the side in the bottom of the inning.
The Muckdogs went down in order once again vs. Citelli in the top of the fifth before the Mohawks increased the advantage with a Brett Coker (Middle Tennesee State) solo homer in the bottom of the frame. Citelli kept the 4-2 lead during the top of the sixth as he fanned the side to collect 10 punchouts on the evening. Bush led off for Amsterdam in the bottom of the frame and uncorked one to left for his third home run of the campaign and the team’s third in the contest. That knocked Prospero off the mound and handed him the loss after five innings pitched, allowing five runs off six hits and a walk with three strikeouts. Tyler Henshaw (Potomac State) replaced Prospero on the bump, but Amsterdam wasn’t done yet. The Mohawks loaded the bases on the new arm and received a two-run double down the rightfield line from Gage Miller (Bishop State CC). Coker made it 8-2 Amsterdam as he knocked in an RBI single; the Mohawks’ sixth hit of the frame.
For the third consecutive inning, Citelli retired the side and ended his spectacular start after seven innings pitched. The redshirt freshman received the win and surrendered only one earned run off two hits and a walk with 10 punchouts. In the bottom of the seventh, Bush provided another lead-off home run to increase the lead 9-2 with Amsterdam’s fourth four-bagger of the night. Ahead by seven, the Mohawks finally turned to the bullpen in the top of the eighth, as Jude Abbadessa (UConn) toed the rubber. Unfortunately for the recent high school grad, the Muckdogs showed signs of life, starting with a one-out double for Levis Aguila (Felician). Then, a walk and a single loaded the bases for Batavia. Back to the top of the order, Leadem launched a two-run single that brought the Muckdogs within four and ended Abbadessa’s outing in two-thirds of an inning. Luckily for Amsterdam, Nolan Lamere (George Mason) entered with two on and two out and deduced a popout that kept the Mohawks well in front.
Amsterdam didn’t add to the lead in the bottom of the eighth as Ryan Kinney (Xavier University of Louisiana) recorded a 1-2-3 inning. Lamere returned in the top of the ninth and halted Batavia’s comeback effort, picking up his fifth save after 1.1 innings pitched. Coker, Bush, and Moore all finished with multiple hits for the Mohawks. Bush was dominant, going 2-4 with two home runs, three RBIs, and two runs scored. Amsterdam can keep the bats hot during Game 2 of the PGCBL Championship late this afternoon at Batavia. First pitch from Dwyer Stadium is at 4:30 pm, so make sure to check out the live broadcast on the Amsterdam Mohawks’ Facebook Page through Facebook Live. If the Mohawks lose the second battle, Game 3 will be played immediately afterward and will also be streamed on Facebook Live.
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