The Amsterdam Mohawks won the first game of the PGCBL semifinals at Shuttleworth Park Thursday night, by a score of 7-5 over the Watertown Rapids. This was a tight affair for the first half of the game, as the starters Shane Muntz (Wake Forest) for Amsterdam and Tyler Waldrop (Wayne St) for Watertown dueled. The game would be broken open in the 5th inning with Muntz helping to provide his own run support with a grand slam. A 9th inning rally would fall just short for the Rapids to allow the Mohawks to take the series lead.

Shane Muntz quieted the Rapids bats, allowing only one hit in 7 shutout innings. He struck out 7, walked 1 batter and went 1 for 2 at the plate with a walk. Stanavich had a little bit of trouble in the eighth but was able to get out of a bases loaded jam without allowing a run.

Joe Genord (USF) finished the night 3 for 4 with the 2 home runs as well as a double. Hammon went 2 for 3 with a stolen base. Starting pitcher Muntz also went 1 for 3 with a walk, a home run, and 4 RBI. In the loss, Bailey Lewis (Catholic U.) went 2 for 5 with a home run and 3 RBI.

The Mohawks would open the scoring in the second inning on a Joe Genord solo home run. In the fifth inning, the Mohawks lead would be extended as Michael Ludowig (Wake Forest) would be walked with the bases loaded to score Jake Hammon (Morehead State). Muntz would clear the bases with a grand slam. Genord hit a second solo home run in the 8th inning to make it 7-0 Mohawks.

The Rapids would score 2 on an RBI single by William Heurtin (Rhodes) in the top of the 9th. Bailey Lewis hit a three-run home run as well to put the Rapids within 2, but they would not be able to complete the comeback. Muntz received the win, while Waldrop received the loss. Game 2 will be played in Watertown Friday night at Alex T. Duffy Fairgrounds. With a Mohawks win, they would move on to the PGCBL finals. If necessary, the Mohawks will return home Saturday to face the Watertown Rapids.