In a warm night at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam, NY, the hometown Mohawks took a 5-3 loss against the reigning PGCBL champion Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs.

Diamond Dawgs Pitcher Mario Ferraioli (Iona) led the team with 5.1 innings of one run ball. He recorded 7 strikeouts and let up 6 hits.  

It was a rough start for Teddy Sabato (Manhattan) who only got through 2 innings, letting up 3 runs, all earned. Nick DeBrino (Canisius) helped the Mohawks keep it close as he held Mohawk Valley hitless in 4 innings of relief, giving up only one walk.

Diamond Dawgs left fielder John LaRocca (Monmouth) had a triple and an RBI in a 1 for 3 night. Richie Nizza (FAU) went 2 for 4 with a home run and a double for the Mohawks in the loss.

After dancing around trouble in the 1ST inning, starting pitcher Teddy Sabato (Manhattan) let up 2 runs in the 2nd. Sabato walked in a run and LaRocca hit into a fielder’s choice to get an RBI. The Diamond Dawgs tagged on another run in the 3rd after a long single by Tyler Bruno (Villanova) plated one more.

Amsterdam looked to be starting to rally in the 5th after a solo home run by Richie Nizza but they were unable to further capitalize.  The Mohawks threatened again in the 7th with two on but would not bring anyone home.

The Diamond Dawgs would score two more in the top of the 8th as Mike Young (UMass Lowell) and Steven Furman (Iona) recorded RBI singles, bringing the score to 5-1. The Mohawks would put together another rally in the 9th, having two men in scoring position with no outs, but would fall short only scoring two runs. Michael Ludowig (Wake Forest) would get the first RBI of the inning with a fielder’s choice. Returning from 2016, Joe Genord (USF) would rip an RBI single up the middle to bring the score to 5-3, but that is as close as it got.

 The Mohawks and Sabato take the loss, dropping the team to 3-5 in league play. Ferraioli got the win and Alexis Calderon (Manhattan) finished off the Mohawks with the save.  

The Amsterdam Mohawks return to play tomorrow at Russell E. Diethrick Park against the Jamestown Jammers in a 7:05 PM game. The Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs head back home to face the Utica Blue Sox at 7:05PM. The Mohawks return home to Shuttleworth Park Thursday to face the Albany Dutchmen with a 6:35 PM start time.