By Josh McMullen – Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs

(June 6 Home Game)

LITTLE FALLS, NY – The Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs and Oneonta Outlaws combined for four home runs on Tuesday night after a rain delay of over an hour. However, the Diamond Dawgs’ two home runs would prove the difference in the 8-6 victory.

Three pitches were all the Diamond Dawgs needed to take the lead, as Owen Pincince (North Haven, CT/University of New Haven) bombed a solo shot to straightaway center field. They would extend the lead to two on an RBI single by Mitchell Balint (Avondale, PA/Carson-Newman) that scored Nick Sturino (New Milford, CT/Fairfield). Balint would score on a sacrifice fly by Justin Hackett (Wallingford, CT/Bryant). An RBI by Jaden Ross (Tampa, FL/Hudson Valley CC) and a Mohawk Valley double steal would extend the Mohawk Valley lead to five after just one inning.

The Outlaws would pick up a home run of their own in the third, thanks to a high fly ball by Christopher Baillargeon (Staten Island, NY/Holy Cross). However, the Diamond Dawgs would return the favor in the sixth, on a bomb to center field by Hackett to extend the lead back to five. Ross would score on a fielder’s choice by Pincince to extend the lead to six.

Chris Palmer (East Islip, NY/Saint Rose) came in in the eighth with the bases loaded, and they would all come home, but no hit was bigger than the home run to center field by Jack Hopko (Endwell, NY/Long Island). His two-run home run would cut the lead to two heading into the bottom of the eighth.

A pair of passed balls in the bottom of the eighth would score Pincince once again and pull the lead back to three. Oneonta would bring it back to within two in the ninth, but that was all Palmer would give up to slam the door on the Outlaws.

Hayden Duke (Mattapoisett, MA/UMass Lowell) picked up the win for Mohawk Valley (2-2), while Palmer picked up the save. Justin DeCastro (Howard Beach, NY/Long Island) was saddled with the loss for Oneonta (1-3).

Oneonta will have an off day on Wednesday before returning to Damaschke Field to take on the Glens Falls Dragons. Mohawk Valley will be on the road on Wednesday at Saugerties before returning to Veteran’s Memorial Park to take on the Utica Blue Sox.

If you want to watch the live stream of the games, you can go to https://mvdiamonddawgs.com/livestream/, or if you have an Apple TV device or Roku, search for Creative Outpost and add the app.

Photo by Dave Warner