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Monica breaks home run record as Mohawks defeat Dragons

Mohawks Use 4 Run Eighth to Top Dragons Share

By: Keith Harrington
Glens Falls, N.Y.-The Glens Falls Dragons (21-25) came into Saturday night's game against the Amsterdam Mohawks (36-10) still stinging from a doubleheader sweep the night before. With the Albany Dutchmen breathing down the neck of the Dragons for the last playoff spot in the PGCBL East, Glens Falls badly needed a victory. It wasn't to be however as the Mohawks broke a 5-5 tie with four runs in the eighth, and went on to a 9-6 victory.


Amsterdam got on the board first against Glens Falls starter Alex Yarem (Campbell) in the top of the third when Craig Dedelow (Indiana) singled to lead off the inning. Hunter Tackett (Auburn) then doubled to left field to give the Mohawks runners on second and third. Dedelow scored on a fielder's choice off the bat of Justin Yurchak (Wake Forest) to lead 1-0.


Glens Falls would answer in the bottom of the third. Matt Kleinstein (Felician) started the inning with a base hit to left field. Matt Flynn (St. Anselm) then drew a walk from Amsterdam starter Zach Logue (Kentucky). Danny Oliveri (Triton) moved the runners over with a sacrifice bunt, and Mark Powell (Bucknell) hit a double down the first base line to score Kleinstein and Flynn to give the Dragons a 2-1 lead.


Amsterdam regained the lead in the top of the fifth. Tackett doubled after center fielder Oliveri appeared to lose his pop fly in the lights, and Yurchak reached on a fielding error. That set the stage for Handsome Monica (Arizona) to blast a three-run home run to left-center to give the Mohawks the lead back at 4-2.


The Dragons got a run back in the bottom half of the frame when Ryan Hooper (Cal-Davis) legged out an infield hit and advanced to second on a throwing error at the end of the play. Brennan Price (Felician) then fisted a single into shallow left field, scoring Hooper to cut the deficit to 4-3.


Amsterdam made it a two run game again in the top of the seventh when Monica tripled off of the left field wall and scored on an RBI sac fly by Macy Holdsworth (Indiana) to lead 5-3.


Glens Falls knotted the game at 5 all in the bottom of the seventh. With two away Powell drew a walk and Hooper was hit by a pitch by Mohawk's relief pitcher Christian Maldonado (Fulton-Montgomery CC). Price then hit a hard ground ball to first base that appeared to be a routine out, but the ball went through the wickets of the Amsterdam first baseman allowing Powell and Hooper to score to even things up.


The Mohawks retaliated in the eighth and ended up putting the contest away. Drew Freedman (Wake Forest) led off the inning with a double. Next, Dedelow laid down a bunt. A throwing error by the Dragons scored Freedman to make it 6-5 Mohawks. A single by Yurchak scored Dedelow, and a double by Scott Manea (North Carolina State) drove Yurchak home to give Amsterdam the 8-5 edge. Amsterdam also picked up a run on a sacrifice fly from Aiden McDermott (St. Johns) to make it 9-5.


The Dragons didn't go quietly in the ninth. Oliveri and Powell singled, and after one was out, Price singled to drive in Oliveri for his second RBI of the night.


Maldonado (2-1) got the win for Amsterdam, while reliever Mike Sinnott (NYIT) suffered the loss for Glens Falls. Sinnott falls to 1-1.


Tackett led the Mohawks going 3 for 5 on the night. Monica was 2 for 5 with a triple and a homer, while McDermott added a pair of safeties. Veith was 3 for 4 for Glens Falls. Powell, Price and Kleinstein had two hits apiece.
After an off day on Sunday,Glens Falls travels to Albany on Monday for a key game against the Dutchmen. Albany currently leads the Dragons by half a game in the race for the final playoff spot. The Dragons return home to East Field Tuesday evening to face the Saugerties Stallions. Game time is 7:00 p.m.

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