By Sam Reis

Box Score

The Amsterdam Mohawks took control with two early home runs and cruised to an 11-1 win in eight innings over the Watertown Rapids on Thursday night at Rao Family Stadium.

Dylan Reid (Brown) made his second start and third appearance for Amsterdam, beginning the contest with a 1-2-3 frame.

On the other side, Mike Flyzik (St. Lawrence) appeared in his fourth game and started for the first time on the mound this summer. In the first inning, Zach Eldred (Brockport) tallied the first hit of the night with a looping double down the left field line. That was followed by a single from Dakota Duffalo (Utah) that gave the Mohawks an early 1-0 lead.

In the next inning, Max Martin (Rutgers), making his Mohawks debut, and Jared Johnson (Brown) were hit by a pitch with a Bruer Webster (Utah) single in between. Then, Jalen Debose (Florida Atlantic) launched a 2-0 pitch over the left field wall for a grand slam and his first home run with Amsterdam.

With a 5-0 lead, the Mohawks offense continued to deliver as Dakota Duffalo notched his second hit in as many plate appearances with a single to lead off the inning. Cam Gurney (Utah) also recorded a single to put two on base. A couple of batters later, Jaxson West (Alabama) hit his first home run as a Mohawk out to right field. In a controversial moment, there was originally confusion as to whether the ball hit the wall or left the park before the umpire definitively ruled it a home run. After a lengthy conversation between the two umpires, the call was upheld and despite protests from Watertown, Amsterdam extended its lead to 8-0.

Mike Flyzik’s night came to an end after the third. The right hander struggled, conceding seven hits and eight runs (all earned) with no walks and one strikeout.

Nick Locurto (Virginia Tech) recorded Watertown’s first hit of the night to begin the fourth with a double. Two batters later, a groundout from David McCann (Virginia Tech) drove in his future college teammate from third to put the Rapids on the board.

In the bottom of the frame, Teaghin Andre (St. Lawrence) came in for his fourth appearance of the season and second against the Mohawks. Amsterdam answered as Zach Eldred hit his second double of the contest, driving in Alex Irizarry (Maryland) to make it 9-1.

Dylan Reid ended an impressive outing with a strikeout in the fifth. In five innings of work, the right hander only allowed one run on two hits, walking one and recording four strikeouts.

Joe Gold (Boston College) took over in the sixth, making his fourth appearance of the summer. The Christian Brothers Academy product went two scoreless innings without allowing a hit while walking two and striking out three.

Teaghin Andre lasted three innings for Watertown, conceding one run on four hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Corey Roberts (Oswego State) entered in the seventh, making his debut on the mound. The left hander pitched a scoreless frame, allowing one hit.

Von Baker (Cornell) made his sixth appearance on the rubber and third against the Rapids in the seventh. The third year Mohawk tossed a scoreless and hitless inning, recording one strikeout.

Aidan Maxwell became Watertown's fourth pitcher of the evening, appearing in his third game of the summer. A single from Bruer Webster and a couple of walks to Brandon Peterson (NJIT) and Alex Irizarry loaded up the bases. Then, Webster came home from third on a passed ball. Another walk to Carlos Martinez (Pittsburgh) again loaded the bases for the Mohawks. Eddie Yamin (Dayton), the next batter, clinched the 10-run rule with a single that scored Peterson from third, ending the game in eight innings.

Amsterdam’s offense racked up 14 hits courtesy of nine players, including multiple hit performances from Zach Eldred, Eddie Yamin, Dakota Duffalo, Luke Longo and Bruer Webster. The Rapids only collected two hits from Nick Locurto and Quinten Perilli (Elizabethtown) in the defeat.

Mike Flyzik suffered the loss for the Rapids, dropping him to 0-1. Watertown moved to 6-10 with the result and its next game is against Boonville on Friday at 6:30.

Dylan Reid earned the win, improving to 3-0. The Brown product has now recorded a victory in all three appearances for Amsterdam.

The Mohawks won their seventh consecutive game and are now 16-1. After an off day on Friday, Amsterdam gets a crack at revenge on Saturday when it hosts Mohawk Valley, the only team that has defeated the defending PGCBL champion this season. The game is slated for 6:35.

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