AMSTERDAM, N.Y. - The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs rallied from a 3-1 deficit to take Game 1 of the 2017 PGCBL East Division Championship Series from the Amsterdam Mohawks by the score of 4-3 at Shuttleworth Park on Wednesday night.

Russ Olive (UMass Lowell) had a three-RBI double, and Clay Chatham (Dartmouth) threw 7.1 innings of scoreless relief to lead Mohawk Valley.  John Valente (St. John's) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead Amsterdam.

The win gives the DiamondDawgs a 1-0 lead in the East Division Championship Series, which is a best-of-three, with the winner of the series moving on to represent the East Division in the PGCBL Championship Series.

The scoring got started in the bottom of the second, when Anthony Gonnella (South Florida) grounded an RBI single into right field to put the Mohawks up 1-0. The Mohawks would add two more runs in the inning, with the first coming on an RBI fielder’s choice by Valente, and the second run scoring on a throwing error by DiamondDawg infielder Joe Engel (Columbia), which allowed Gonnella to score and Valente to reach safely.

Mohawk Valley would end the shutout in the top of the fourth, with Alexis Monge-Rodriguez (Barry) scoring on a double play to cut the score to 3-1.

In the top of the sixth, the DiamondDawgs would take their first, and only, lead of the game, when Olive came up with the bases loaded. He cleared them of runners for a three-run triple, putting Mohawk Valley up for good, 4-3.

The win goes to Chatham, who went 7.1 innings, allowing no runs on two hits, walking one and striking out seven.  Matheiu Gauthier (NC State) is saddled with the loss after giving up four runs on three hits in 5.1 innings.  Zach Vannaro (Mount Olive) picked up the save.

Game 2 of the 2017 PGCBL East Division Championship Series will take place on Thursday, August 3, at Veteran's Memorial Park in Little Falls, N.Y., with the first pitch slated for 6:35 p.m.  Game 3, if necessary, be played at Shuttleworth Park on Friday.