News
Scocca has four-RBI, two-HR night, DiamondDawgs win playoff spot 8-5 over SaugertiesAs the Hall of Fame owner of the Oakland Raiders, the late Al Davis, once said, “Just win, baby.”
That was all the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs needed to do to earn their seat in the 2015 PGCBL playoffs, and they did just that on Saturday night at Veteran’s Memorial Park. Troy Scocca (Syosset, New York/Fairfield University) would have four RBI’s and two home runs, and the Diamond Dawgs knocked off the Saugerties Stallions, 8-5.
Scocca would get the Diamond Dawgs on the board first with some early fireworks, as his two-run shot to centerfield three batters in would score himself and Anthony Herrera (McKinney, Texas/University of Louisiana-Monroe). The Diamond Dawgs would spray four straight hits in the middle of the order before Andrew Turner (King of Prussia, Pennsylvania/Long Island University-Brooklyn) and Colin Hawk (Beech Grove, Indiana/University of Indianapolis) struck out to end the inning.
The Stallions would get on the board in the second inning, as a throwing error by Turner would score John Giakas (Staten Island, New York/Fairleigh-Dickinson University). Diamond Dawgs starter David Palmer (East Islip, New York/University of New Haven) would subsequently load the bases, but a fielder’s choice to Hawk would end the inning.
Matt Pagano (Cranston, Rhode Island/Marist College) would extend the Mohawk Valley lead in their half of the second, as his single and subsequent error by Saugerties center fielder Eric Downey (Colonie, New York/Herkimer CC). Scocca would get his third RBI of the night just two batters later, a bloop fly to center field that would score Pagano. Sam Machonis (Tampa, Florida/Florida Southern College) would get in on the scoring as well, when his single would score Scocca.
Keith Andrews’ (Commack, New York/SUNY Cortland) sacrifice fly to score Giakas would pull the Stallions to within four in the fourth. However, that would be all the Stallions would get, as Palmer would strike out Downey to end the inning.
Chris Reynolds’ (Wall, New Jersey/Manhattan College) sacrifice fly in the fifth would score Nick Russo (Shirley, New York/University of New Haven) and pull the Stallions to within three. The damage would be left to only one, as an acrobatic catch by Ryan Stekl (Lancaster, New York/Canisius College) from Hawk would end the inning.
A fielder’s choice by Thomas Walraven (Pine Bush, New York/University of New Haven) would add some insurance for Mohawk Valley in the bottom of the seventh and extend the lead back to four, 7-3.
Palmer would load the bases full of Stallions in the top of the eighth, and that would end his night, as he would be pulled for Lucas Godlewski (Little Falls, New York/Herkimer CC). Godlewski would get to work quickly, striking out Andrews to end the inning.
Scocca would not be done for the night, however. In the bottom of the eighth, he crushed a ball all the way to Route 5 in Little Falls off of Saugerties reliever Tyler LeMarre (North Kingstown, Rhode Island/Stonehill College) to make the score 8-3.
The Stallions were not done yet in the ninth, as Russo would hit a double all the way to the wall that would score Downey. Taylor Luckenbill (Pottsville, Pennsylvania/Susquehanna University) would add a sacrifice fly that would score Russo and close the lead to three. However, Godlewski would force Giakas to pop up to Hawk to slam the door on the Stallions (13-32).
Palmer would get the win for Mohawk Valley. Andrew Bruss would get the loss for Saugerties.
With the win, the Diamond Dawgs (26-18) have tied their best-ever season in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League. They also had 26 wins last season.
The win, combined with a Glens Falls loss, will also guarantee postseason baseball in Little Falls, as the Diamond Dawgs will clinch the second seed in the playoffs.
The Diamond Dawgs hope to make the 2015 season the best they’ve ever had since they joined the PGCBL. They will have two attempts at their 27th win on Sunday as they have a doubleheader at Veterans’ Memorial Park against the Utica Brewers. The Stallions have a day off on Sunday before heading back to Cantine Field for a home-and-home series with the Amsterdam Mohawks that will conclude on Thursday. |
![]()
Browse by Month »
June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 November 2010 |