Box Score

Coming into Veterans Memorial Park in Little Falls on Thursday, the Amsterdam Mohawks (29-8) were looking to be the fastest team ever in Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League history to reach 30 wins.

Unfortunately for them, they would have to wait at least one more day, as their heated rival, the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs (19-16), would score all but one of their runs in the third and fourth innings to knock off the Mohawks, 8-2

Amsterdam starter Fernando Guerrero (Elizabeth, New Jersey/Marshall University), a late addition to Monday’s All-Star Roster for the Eastern Division, would walk the bases loaded to start the game. However, Guerrero would strike out Sam Machonis (Tampa, Florida/Florida Southern College) and pop home-run derby participant Troy Scocca (Syosset, New York/Fairfield University) up to hold the Diamond Dawgs scoreless.

The Mohawks would get the first run of the game in the third inning on an error by Mohawk Valley’s Matthew Johnson (Ankeny, Iowa/South Dakota State University), when he threw a ball intended for Colin Hawk (Beech Grove, Indiana/University of Indianapolis)into left field. That error would score Macy Holdsworth (Greensburg, Indiana/University of Indiana). Brendan Tracy (Rumford, Rhode Island/Fairfield University) would put Amsterdam out in front by two, when a putout from Anthony Herrera (McKinney, Texas/University of Louisiana-Monroe) would score Riley Mahan (Cincinnati, Ohio/University of Kentucky).

Machonis would put the Diamond Dawgs on the board in the bottom of the third, as he would slap a single over the head of Tracy to score Johnson. Chris Rave (Middletown, New York/Herkimer College) would put Mohawk Valley’s nose in front, with a long double that would get to the wall, scoring Machonis and Ryan Stekl (Lancaster, New York/Canisius College). Herrera would make his presence known as well, as he would cause some confusion in the middle of the Amsterdam outfield, which would score Rave.

Machonis would continue his reign of terror on Guerrero in the fourth, as he would slam a double all the way to the right field wall, which would score Stekl and Johnson. Scocca would keep the runs coming in the fourth with a single that would score Machonis.

Herrera would come in from second base to relieve Coddou in the eighth. Coddou would have a stellar performance, only allowing two runs in five hits over seven innings for the Diamond Dawgs to earn the win.

Scocca would give Mohawk Valley some insurance in the eighth, as his double would get all the way to the right-field fence and score replacement third baseman Andrew Turner (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania/Long Island University-Brooklyn). That was all reliever/second baseman Herrera would need, as he would only allow one baserunner before setting down the Mohawks in order to shut the door.

With the win, the Diamond Dawgs have won four of their last five. With the loss, Amsterdam sees their four-game winning streak come to an end.

Both teams will be pulling double duty with a doubleheader on Friday night. The Mohawks will travel to Cantine Field in Saugerties to face the Stallions. The Diamond Dawgs will face the West Division cellar-dwelling Adirondack Trail Blazers at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

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