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Mohawks offense explodes, defeat Blazers 22-12

Box Score

BOONVILLE, N.Y. - The defending PGCBL champions, the Amsterdam Mohawks, traveled to Boonville Sunday afternoon to take on the Adirondack Trail Blazers and had another dominant performance, winning 22-12.

After getting two quick outs in the top of the first, Adirondack looked to get a fast start to the Sunday matinee, but the Mohawks quickly put a halt to those plans. Dylan Reynolds (Fairfield) hit a three-run home run to give his club an early 3-0 lead. A series of base hits and walks through the next several batters allowed Amsterdam to bat around the order.

With an 0-2 count to TJ Collett (Kentucky), he swung at what appeared to be strike three. After all players returned to their respective dugouts, the Mohawks' manager challenged the call at the plate, arguing that Collett had gotten a piece of the ball, keeping the at-bat alive. After a brief discussion, the umpires reveresed their call and play resumed in the top of the first.

With the reversal, Collett picked up a two-RBI single. Two batters later, Reynolds hit his second home run of the inning, a two run shot, which gave the Mohawks a 12-0 lead in the first. The 12 runs scored in the inning were one run shy of tying the PGCBL record for most runs in an inning; the current record is 13.

Adirondack was quiet in the bottom half of the first, but was able to put a run on the board. A swing and a miss on strike three by Riley Schaefer (Texas Lutheran), combined with a wild pitch, allowed Dugan Darnell (Adrian) to score and Schaefer reached first base safely.

Amsterdam kept their hot streak alive in the top of the second, putting up two runs on one swing of the bat by Jake Mueller (Wake Forest), increasing the Mohawk's lead to 14-1. Mueller hit three-for-six on the day, including the home run, and walked twice.

Matt Codispoti (SUNY Albany) answered back for the Blazers in the bottom of the second with a solo shot of his own, his first of the year.

In the top of the third, Amsterdam's only run came from a solo home run by Dustin Skelton (Mississippi State). Collett and John Valente (St. John's) each hit a single in the inning as well.

Trailing 15-2 going into the bottom of the third, the Trail Blazers continued to chip away at the defending champions. An RBI double from Darnell and a sacrifice fly to right field by Codispoti closed the gap slightly to 15-4.

In the fourth and fifth innings, Amsterdam continued to punish Adirondack with a total of seven runs off eight hits. Three of those runs came from a home run by Dan Maynard (Maryland), the Mohawks' fifth and final home run on the day. Amsterdam saw all batters in the lineup make at least one plate appearance in the first, fourth and fifth innings.

It would not be until the bottom of the seventh inning when the scoreboard would be lit up for either team. Adirondack scored four runs, including a two-RBI double by pinch hitter Zach Zschering (Adiran). The double was Zschering's first on the season.

After a quick eighth inning, the Blazers were trailing 22-8 going into the bottom of the ninth. A three-run home run from Jordan Torrento (Adiran) provided some light in the quickly-darkening Hanson Aggregates Field, but it would not be enough to come away with what could have been the upset of the season. Amsterdam won by a final score of 22-12.

Amsterdam, in addition to nearly tying the league record for most runs in an inning, did tie the record for most runs scored by a team in a single game. The Newark Pilots also tallied 22 runs against the Blazers in Boonville on June 26, 2013. The Mohawks also set a new PGCBL record with most hits by a team in a single game with 29.

Ryan Maya (Nova Southeastern) pitched only one and one third innings in his first loss of the season. This was only his second start on the mound and recorded no strikeouts.

Andrew Saalfrank (Indiana) pitched six full innings for the Mohawks with nine strikeouts in his fourth win in five starts.

This was the first game of a three-game home series for the Trail Blazers. They will play the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs on Monday, followed by their first game against the Newark Pilots on Tuesday. The Mohawks play the Elmira Pioneers at home on Monday.

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