By Jon Sargalis
Box Score Photos Video
The Amsterdam Mohawks kicked off their third straight title defense at Shuttleworth Park last night with an 8-5 victory over the Oneonta Outlaws.
Fonda-Fultonville grad Derek Duval from the College of Charleston got the Opening Day start on the mound and pitched 3 hitless innings allowing just 1 walk and struck out 4.
Amsterdam opened the scoring in the second inning as Chris Hoalcraft notched the first base hit of the season and Jayden Harriel followed with the first extra base hit, an RBI double to score Hoalcraft.
With a score of 2-0 Mohawks in the fifth, James Redick got into trouble on the mound and walked in a run with the bases loaded. Matt Sgambati entered and hit the first batter he faced to force in another run to tie the game at two. Sgambati rebounded and struck out the next batter to keep the game tied and recorded 6 strikeouts over 2.1 innings.
With the game tied at 2 in the sixth, reigning PGCBL Player of the Year Cade Ladehoff hit a powerful line drive to left for a 2-run home run and his 8th as a Mohawk.
Amsterdam would add 2 more and in the seventh, Brandon McCraine hit a mammoth home run to left as the Mohawks lead 8-2 after 7.
“It felt really good, it was the first one in a while...feels really good to get the first one off my back, so hopefully there’s more to come” said McCraine. “I was ready to play, because I didn’t play at all this season, so I was really excited to get here…I’ve heard a lot of great things about the fans, and I wanted to experience that.”
Oneonta got a few unearned runs in the ninth as 2023 Mohawk Joe Gold made his return to Amsterdam, but it wasn’t enough as the Mohawks won 8-5.
Stony Brook’s Matt Sgambati (1-0) got the win in his Mohawks debut after pitching for the Albany Baseball Club last summer.
Daniel Paton (0-1) took the loss for the Outlaws as they fell to 0-1.
The Mohawks are back in action Friday night as they travel to Little Falls to take on the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs at 6:35 and return home for Fireworks night on Saturday to host the Saugerties Stallions at 6:35.
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