Tuesday, June 20, 2017
Box score: Game 1 – http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=418512
Game 2 – http://baseball.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=416277
LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. – Rain earlier in the season forced Tuesday night's game between the Amsterdam Mohawks and the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs.
Despite the driving rain making a mess of things all day at Veteran's Memorial Park in Little Falls, the Mohawks and Diamond Dawgs were still able to play two.
TJ Collett (Terra Haute, IN/Kentucky) would hit a two run home run in the first inning, and Amsterdam would not look back, sweeping the Diamond Dawgs 4-3 and 4-0.
The Mohawks would get on the board first in Game One just three batters in. A booming home run to left-center field by TJ Collett that would score himself and Jake Mueller (Columbia, SC/Wake Forest).
Mohawk Valley would claw their way back in the bottom of the first. Austin Pollack (Harrison, NY/Hofstra) would rip an RBI double to left center field to score Bronson Grubbs (Elk Grove, CA/Sacramento State). The Diamond Dawgs would tie it up just two batters later, scoring Pollack on an RBI single by Clay Koniencki (Schwenksville, PA/Monmouth).
The Diamond Dawgs would take a one-run lead in the bottom of the second, as a ball hit by Joe Engel (Downers Grove, IL/Columbia) would get through the legs of Mohawks second baseman Mueller and score Tim Zeng (Lumberton, NJ/Fairfield).
The Mohawks would even the game up in the top of the fourth inning, on an RBI single by John Valente (New Rochelle, NY/) that would score. Amsterdam then took the lead in the top of the fifth on a sacrifice fly by Liam Wilson (Ayr, Ontario/Canisius) that scored Julian Gallup (Amsterdam, NY/Niagara).
The game would be delayed for approximately a half an hour as driving rains went through Little Falls. The rain went quickly, however, and after cleanup, the two teams were allowed back onto the field to finish up Game One.
From there, Nick Chiseri (Troy, NY/UConn) and Carter Knapek (Albany, NY/UMass) would perform admirably, only aloowing five Diamond Dawg runners to reach base to put Game One away. Chiseri would pick up the win for Amsterdam, while Knapek picked up the save. Jack Fossand (Woodbury, MN/Dartmouth) would pick up the loss for Mohawk Valley.
Game Two would start out as a pitcher's duel, as Mohawk Valley starter Crandall Poore (Gray, GA/Middle Georgia State) and Amsterdam's Mathieu Gauthier (Candiac, Quebec/North Carolina State) would get through the first two innings with just three baserunners, all by walks. Poore would surrender the first hit of the game in the third, however, on a line drive by Valente.
In all, through the first four innings, both Poore and Gauthier would only allow one hit apiece and keep Game Two interesting, as well as scoreless.
Poore would put himself on a second-and-third jam in the fifth inning on a ground-rule-double and a throwing error. Valente would make him pay with a looping, hard hit, 2-RBI double that would score Will Holland (Lawrenceville, GA/Auburn) and pinch runner Gallup. Collett extended the lead to three just two batters later on a hard hit RBI single that scored Valente.
Mohawk Valley reliever Quenten Thomas (Chesterfield, VA/Norfolk State) would not fare much better, getting himself into a first-and-second jam. Those would be the only two Mohawks Thomas would face, however, as he would give way to Johann Doerrer (Dolgeville, NY/Mohawk Valley CC). Doerrer would make the situation worse, walking Holland to load the bases. Gallup would bring Eric Rivera (West Park, FL/Florida Atlantic) home after hitting into a double play.
On the mound, Gauthier was brilliant, only allowing one Mohawk Valley hit through his complete game to pick up his first win of the season. Elliott Anderson (Cartersville, GA/Auburn) would pitch admirably in relief, only allowing one hit himself in one inning of relief to complete the sweep for Amsterdam.
Poore would pick up the loss for Mohawk Valley, who have lost three of their last four games.
With the wins, the Mohawks (8-6) saw a three game losing streak transform into a two-game winning streak. The losses put the Diamond Dawgs (8-6) on a two-game losing streak of their own.
Mohawk Valley has an off day on Wednesday before hosting the Utica Blue Sox on Thursday. They will commemorate the 40th anniversary of the first game played by former New York-Penn League ballclub, the Little Falls Mets, at Veteran's Memorial Park by wearing throwback jerseys for Thursday night's game.
The Mohawks will head to Murnane Field on Wednesday to face off against those same Utica Blue Sox before heading off on a five-game homestand in three days that sees the Saugerties Stallions come in for three games (two of those part of a doubleheader) and the Glens Falls Dragons for a doubleheader as well.
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