By Jon Sargalis
Box Score Photos Photos Brady Photos Jules
In a back-and-forth game, the Amsterdam Mohawks pulled out a 9-8 win over the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs Tuesday night at Shuttleworth Park. Pitcher Jesse Kuzmich (Coastal Alabama North) was the unlikely hero as he gave the Mohawks the lead with a seventh inning single.
There were five lead changes in the game as both teams came out swinging, combining for 24 hits as Mohawk Valley out hit Amsterdam 14-10.
The Mohawks took an early lead as Pete Daniel (Belmont) led off the game with a single and scored on a Jake Sparks (Marshall) sac-fly.
The DiamondDawgs answered right back with 3 runs in the second inning. Major Pellien (Cisco) hit a sac-fly to tie the game and Christino Tufano (George Washington) hit a 2-run double to put the Dawgs up 3-1.
Amsterdam swung back in the bottom of the second as Pete Daniel hit a 2-run double to tie the game and Jake Sparks hit a bases clearing 3-run double to put the Mohawks back in front, 6-3. Jackson Natili (Rutgers) was initially called out at the plate on the Sparks hit, but the call was changed as the catcher failed to hold onto the ball.
The lead would quickly shrink as the first home run hit in a Mohawks game this season came off the bat of Bryce Phelps (Wagner) for Mohawk Valley in the top of the third to score 2 runs and cut the lead to 6-5.
In the sixth, Levi McAllister (UAlbany) tied the game for Mohawk Valley with a leadoff home run. Then after 2 quick outs, Cristino Tufano doubled and scored on a Diego Tavarez (Wagner) single and Tavarez scored on a Brody Rasmussen (Maine) single to give the Dawgs an 8-6 advantage.
Amsterdam went back to work in the seventh inning, Zach Eldred (Brockport) hit a 2-run triple to tie the game at 8. That’s when pitcher Jesse Kuzmich stepped into the batter’s box, having entered the game to play left field after an injury to Sebastian Harden. Kuzmich, who hadn’t taken an at-bat since last fall, must have listened to head coach Keith Griffin this spring at Coastal Alabama North, got a first pitch fastball and stroked a single into left field, scoring Eldred and putting the Mohawks up 9-8.
Before the at-bat “Griff told me I had one swing or else I was bunting, so he gave me a fastball and I took a cut,” said Kuzmich. The surprise entry into the game came in the sixth inning “There was a couple of injuries…I was going to bring the umpire Gatorade and then Griff told me I’m in the game.” When asked about his heroics after the game; “I think I got to retire the bat forever; I don’t think I can ever get an at-bat again.”
Parker Aikens (Rhode Island) was the winning pitcher throwing a scoreless seventh and DH Ben Huckans (St. John Fischer) entered on the mound in the ninth to collect the save.
Despite being outhit, the Mohawks improved to 3-1 while the DiamondDawgs fell to 1-4. After the game Head Coach Keith Griffin said, “That was a big win for us…we just need keep our heads above water and weather this storm until those other guys get here and then we’ll be fine.”
The Mohawks are off on Wednesday and return to action on Thursday as they host the Glens Falls Dragons at 6:35. It will be Faith Night, High School Night of Champions and Thirsty Thursday.
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