pgcbl.com

LITTLE FALLS, NY—For the third time in a week, the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs would meet their rival, the Amsterdam Mohawks.

For the second time in the same week, the Diamond Dawgs would beat their rival at Veteran’s Memorial Park.

In the end, however, it came down to one run.

Andrew Turner (King of Prussia, PA/Long Island University-Brooklyn) would hit two doubles and a triple, going 3-4 on the night, as the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs took a 2-1 lead in the Patriot Bank Cup, knocking off the Mohawks, 6-5.

Starter Mike Appel (Orange, CT/Central Connecticut State University) found himself in a first-and third jam in the top of the second, and Austin Botello (Galveston, TX/New Mexico State University) would make him pay, with a sacrifice grounder that would score Brett Kinneman (York, PA/North Carolina State University). That would be all for the Mohawks in the second, as a popup to center fielder Mac Crispino (Avon, CT/Fairfield University) would end the inning one batter later.

Michael Ketchmark (Dallas, TX/Dartmouth University) would put the Diamond Dawgs right back in the lead in the bottom of the third inning, as he would send a ball flying all the way to the left-center field wall. When the dust settled, Ketchmark would be on second with a double, and Tanner Leenknecht (Billings, MT/Treasure Valley CC) and Michael Conti (Glastonbury, CT/Fairfield University) would score.

Two straight doubles in the fourth, by Mike Martinez (West New York, NJ/Rutgers University) and Tanner Wessling (Kent, WA/University of Tennessee-Martin), would score Wessling. Wessling would not have to wait very long to go home, as the very next batter, Turner, would knock a ball into deep right field to score Wessling and extend the Mohawk Valley lead to three, 4-1.

Appel would find himself in a bases-loaded jam and nobody out, and would walk Tristen Carranza (El Centro, CA/New Mexico State University) home on a walk. A sacrifice fly by Chris Givin (Castle Rock, CO/Xavier University) would cut the lead to one, as he would score Joe Genord (Lake Worth, FL/University of South Florida).

Tyler Ratliff (Alexandria, VA/Marshall University) would allow four straight Diamond Dawgs to reach base, culminating in an Turner double that would score Kevin Radziewicz (Cromwell, CT/Fairfield University). Justin Fowler’s (Aliso Viejo, CA/Dartmouth College) single just one batter later would score Martinez and extend the Mohawk Valley lead back to three.

Kinneman would cut the lead back to two in the top of the eighth, as his RBI single would score Genord. That would chase reliever Chris Henry (Yorktown Heights, NY/Herkimer CC) from the game, as he would be replaced by Zachary Vennaro (New Hartford, NY/Monroe CC). Radziewicz would throw a wild pitch over third baseman Turner’s head, which allowed Kinneman to score and cut the lead to one.

However, that one run would be all that Vennaro would need, as he would only allow a double by Eric Downey (Albany, NY/SUNY Brockport) the rest of the way to close the game out. Vennaro would pick up the save for his two innings of solid work.

Appel would pick up the win for the Diamond Dawgs (6-7), while Johnny Malatesta (Vineland, NJ/NJIT)would be saddled with the loss for Amsterdam (8-6).

The Diamond Dawgs will stay home for Father’s Day, as they host the Albany Dutchmen. The Mohawks will head to East Field on Sunday to take on the Glens Falls Dragons.