Box Score Audio
NEWARK, N.Y. – The East All-Stars scored six times over the first three innings and pounded out seven runs on 16 hits to defeat the West All-Stars, 7-3, in the 2013 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League All-Star Game on Wednesday night at Colburn Park.
The East All-Stars struck quickly with two runs in the first, three runs in the second and one in the third to amass a 6-3 lead through three innings. Josh Anderson (Florida International) of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles and Dylan Smith (Auburn) of the Amsterdam Mohawks smacked RBI singles in the first inning for the East. The West All-Stars drew even in the bottom of the first on a fielding error and an RBI double from Chris Kalousdian (Manhattan) of the Elmira Pioneers. The East All-Stars responded with a three-run second inning on three hits. All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Mike Fischer (Columbia) of the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs hit a lead-off home run down the left-field line to give the East a 3-2 lead. Josh Anderson added an RBI single and Landon Thibodeaux (LSU Eunice) of the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs connected on a sacrifice fly to increase the lead for the East All-Stars to 5-2.
Anthony Marks (Coastal Carolina) of the Albany Dutchmen beat out a potential double-play ball in the third inning to plate the East’s sixth run. Dalton Herrington (ULM) of Mohawk Valley wrapped up the scoring in the eighth inning with an RBI single into center field that chased home Amsterdam’s John Sansone (Florida State) from second.
Nine pitchers for head coach Keith Griffin’s East All-Stars combined on a three-hitter. Cooperstown’s Eann Cox (Black Hawk), Amsterdam’s Mike Urbanski (Binghamton), Mohawk Valley’s Tyler Bray (ULM), Zach Hopf (Saint Peter’s) and Armand Rugel (Stonehill) of Glens Falls and Dylan Collett (Keene State) from Albany each pitched one scoreless and hit-less inning. All-Star Game starter Matt Snyder (Fulton-Montgomery C.C.) of the Amsterdam Mohawks conceded two runs, one earned, on two hits in the first inning. Ryan Davis (LeMoyne) of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles retired three of the four batters he faced in the third inning but allowed a solo home run to Utica’s Michael Pierson (Appalachian State) for the West’s final run. Mike Urbanski retired the side in order in the top of the fourth inning to earn the win.
The best chance for the West All-Stars came in the bottom of the sixth inning against Zach Hopf of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles. Michael Pierson drew a lead-off walk and advanced to third on a two-base error. With no outs and runners on second and third in a 6-3 game, K’Shawn Smith (Stetson) of Utica hit a bouncing ball back at Hopf. The East pitcher fielded the ball cleanly and caught Michael Pierson in a rundown at third but Pierson was able to return to the base safely. Hopf retired the next three West batters in a row to wiggle out of the bases-loaded, no-out jam. He struck out Bobby Slagle (Villanova) of Adirondack and Spencer Henderson (UC Davis) for the first two outs of the inning and then forced Watertown’s Joe Moroney (Kansas) to fly out to right field to end the frame.
Fourteen different players had at least one hit for the East All-Stars. Mike Fischer reached base safely in all three of his plate appearances; he went 2-for-2 with a single, a home run and a walk. Josh Anderson finished 2-for-3 with two RBI and one run scored. Anthony Marks finished 1-for-3 with one RBI and one run scored. Mohawk Valley’s Dalton Herrington (ULM) drove in the final run of the game in the eighth inning with an RBI single into center field. Amsterdam’s Kyle Barrett (Kentucky), Cooperstown’s Ben Hall (Central Alabama), Albany’s Tyler Orris (Millersville) and Amsterdam’s John Sansone (Florida State) all had one hit and scored one run for the East.
Michael Pierson, the PGCBL’s leader in batting average, hit a solo home run for the West and finished 1-for-2 with two walks. Chris Kalousdian scored one of the West’s three runs and drove in another. Watertown’s Joe Moroney (Kansas) also had one of the three hits for the West. Newark’s Steve Laurino (Marist) walked twice in three plate appearances.
Newark’s Justin D’Amato (St. John Fisher), Elmira’s Parker Curry (Samford), Watertown’s Logan Grant (Creighton), Utica’s Nick Schavone (UNC Asheville) and Newark’s Donald Frew (Young Harris) each pitched one scoreless inning for the West. All-Star Game starting pitcher Andrew Sanders (Ithaca) of the Newark Pilots allowed two runs, one earned, on three hits and walked one in the first inning. Watertown’s Joe Adel (South Florida) pitched the second inning and conceded three runs on three hits. Adirondack’s Chas Parsons (Mohawk Valley C.C.) yielded a run on two hits in the third and Adirondack’s Austin Bartley (Shippensburg) gave up one run on three hits in the eighth.
Prior to the All-Star Game, the 2013 All-Star Game Home Run Derby was held. Albany’s Matthew Dacey (Richmond 2013-14), the reigning PGCBL Player of the Week, belted three home runs in the final round to take the championship. In the finals, Dacey beat out Buddy Putnam (South Florida) of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles and Tyler Decker (Jefferson C.C.) of the Watertown Rams. Other Home Run Derby participants included Adirondack’s Chris Divarco (Northern Ilinois), Cooperstown’s Ben Hall, Elmira’s Chris Kalousdian, Utica’s Michael McClellan (Georgia Southern), Newark’s Jacob Russell (Kentucky), Amsterdam’s Dylan Smith and Mohawk Valley’s Landon Thibodeaux. Putnam socked five home runs in the first and second rounds combined.
NOTES: The attendance for the All-Star Game was 2,120…The first pitch was officially thrown at 7:49 p.m. …The game lasted two hours and 36 minutes…The East improved to 2-0 all-time in the PGCBL All-Star Game. The East All-Stars defeated the West All-Stars, 7-4, in the 2011 All-Star Game. The 2012 All-Star Game pitted Team Griffin against Team Ebright…Two Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs have won three of the All-Star Game MVP awards. Mohawk Valley’s Cullen Wacker (Auburn) was named the Most Valuable Player of the 2011 All-Star Game.