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Mohawks dust off Dawgs for 14th win

By John McGraw

Box Score

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. – The Amsterdam Mohawks scored seven-straight runs between the fifth and sixth innings to pull away from the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs in a 9-4 victory on Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Park. The Mohawks (14-3) posted their third win in a row and have now won 13 of their last 14 games. Amsterdam also maintained a three-game lead over the Oneonta Outlaws in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League standings.

The Mohawks carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning on the strength of an unearned run in the first and a Chase Green (SIU Edwardsville) solo home run in the second off of Mohawk Valley starter John Means (Fort Scott C.C.). Demarcus Henderson (Miss. State) began what turned into a three-run surge in the fifth by reaching on an error and then he scored on a D.J. Hoagboon (UAlbany/Mayfield) RBI double. A second Mohawk Valley error in the inning allowed both D.J. Hoagboon and Ed Charlton (NJIT) to record Amsterdam’s fourth and fifth runs of the night.

The sixth inning saw the Mohawks pull away with four runs on four walks, three hit batsmen, a wild pitch and one Mohawk Valley error. D.J. Hoagboon and Ed Charlton each received free passes with the bases loaded to force home Amsterdam runs and Evan Stephens (Wake Forest) was plunked by Mohawk Valley reliever Hassan Evans (Herkimer County C.C.) with the pond full to force home another score. The rally ended after Ed Charlton dashed home on a two-out wild pitch to push the Mohawks' lead to 9-1.

While the Amsterdam offense accounted for nine runs on seven hits, four Mohawks pitchers combined on a five-hitter. Starter Connor Kaden (Wake Forest) struck out six over five innings and allowed just one run on two hits. In the third inning with Amsterdam leading, 2-0, Kaden pitched out of a potential game-tying jam. The DiamondDawgs put runners on second and third with no outs. The Toms River, N.J., native forced Mohawk Valley’s David Del Grande (Sacramento State) to hit a ground ball to the right side. It was fielded by Demarcus Henderson at second base. Henderson went home with a throw and cut down Tyler Hall (Herkimer County CC) at home plate. Kaden then snuffed out the rally by getting Tyler Heck (Union, N.Y.) to ground into an inning-ending twin killing.

Scott Heath (Maine) added two shutout frames of middle relief. Jeff Boehm (Kentucky) and Kevin Archbold (UAlbany) each tossed one inning to close out the win.

Offensively, six Amsterdam batters recorded at least one hit topped by lead-off man Ed Charlton who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and one walk. Chase Green and Demarcus Henderson each tallied twice for the Mohawks and D.J. Hoagboon drove in two runs.

Mohawk Valley’s John Means suffered his second loss. He struck out seven over 4.1 innings but allowed five runs, just one of which was earned, on six hits. Taylor Wright (Brown) was the best reliever for the DiamondDawgs. He held Amsterdam scoreless for 2.1 innings and fanned three.

Jack Morrow (Young Harris) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for the only run allowed by Connor Kaden. Morrow finished with two hits and Tyler Hall added a two-run double in the eighth.

Hall's double was part of a three-run eighth inning for the DiamondDawgs that into the Amsterdam advantage. Jeff Boehm ended any hope of a Mohawk Valley comeback when he struck out Mohawk Valley lead-off man David Del Grande with runners on the corners to end the rally and the inning.

The nationally-ranked Mohawks return to action on Wednesday night against the Albany Dutchmen at Bob Bellizzi Field in the Christian Plumeri Sports Complex. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. The next home game at Shuttleworth Park is Thursday, June 28, when the Mohawks host the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs at 7:05 p.m. Thursday night is Free Ice Cream Night and Free Bike Night sponsored by Assemblyman George Amedore and Smitka Brothers Route 67 Cycle Works.

Listen to every Mohawks home game and select road games throughout the 2012 season at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/mohawksradio

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