June 23rd, 2022
AMSTERDAM, N.Y. — For the first time in 1,450 days, the Dragons (4-11) defeated the Mohawks (14-3), with a 4-2 win on the road in Shuttleworth Park. A 6-3 loss to Glens Falls on July 3, 2018, marked the last time Amsterdam fell to its East Divison rival. After an 8-0 start to the summer, the Mohawks have fallen back down to Earth with a 6-3 record over their last nine games.
Amsterdam native Carson Cotugno (Wake Forest) made his first start of the summer for the Mohawks and pitched four scoreless innings. The local product surrendered just three hits with six strikeouts and two walks. While the Dragons couldn’t get it going, the Mohawks only managed to score one run. In the bottom of the first, Amsterdam loaded the bases with no outs on Glens Falls starter Daniel Cohen (Yale). Mark Black (Gardner-Webb) then preceded to ground into a double play, as the Dragons allowed Gage Miller (Bishop State CC) to score from third and give the Mohawks the 1-0 lead.
The first pitcher out of the bullpen for Amsterdam was Holden Phelps (Missouri), who held Glens Falls off the scoreboard through the sixth inning (in his summer debut). Then, Von Baker (Cornell) got into some trouble when he stepped on the mound in the top of the seventh. The second-year Mohawk loaded the bases with one out after a hit by pitch and two straight walks. Chris Suter (Union) came in relief and deduced a groundball from Sal Pezzola (Saint Anselm) that turned into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning.
With the score still sitting at 1-0, Suter returned to the bump in the top of the eighth and unfortunately got himself into a jam of his own. First, the freshman plunked Aidan Stevens (Manchester). Then, Phoenix Bowman (Iona) reached on a fielder’s choice after hitting a groundball to second base. Miller threw the ball to shortstop Cameron Love (Rutgers), trying to force Stevens out at second, but Love didn’t step on the bag. With first and second and no outs, Suter walked Sean Butkowski (Millersville) to load the bases.
Suter was replaced by Ryan Van Buren (Maryland), but regardless, all three baserunners would end up scoring. A wild pitch from Van Buren let Stevens tie the game at 1-1, and then a passed ball from Hunter Thomas (Arkansas State) allowed Bowman to score and give the Dragons their first lead. Glens Falls led 3-1 after Reece de Castro (Castleton) battled in an RBI single that towed the foul line and stayed fair, with Butkowski coming home. All three runs went against Suter, but then Van Buren gave up a run-scoring single to Sam Browning (Johns Hopkins) to increase the deficit to 4-1.
In the bottom of the eighth, Amsterdam benefitted from four walks issued by Cohen, who pitched a full eight innings. Cohen’s first three free passes loaded the bases with two outs, and a passed ball from former Mohawk Danny Moshier (Marist) gave Josh Overbeek (Pittsburgh) the opportunity to score. Moments later, Ian Petrutz (Maryland) walked which once again load the bases. Unfortunately for Amsterdam, a foul out from Brett Coker (Middle Tennessee State) ended the inning and kept the score at 4-2 Dragons. Cohen’s final line across eight innings included four hits, two runs, three strikeouts, six walks, and 110 pitches.
Van Buren pitched a scoreless top of the ninth before Ryan Taffe (Fairfield) took the mound for Glens Falls in the bottom of the frame. The high school senior recorded a 1-2-3 inning, with back-to-back strikeouts from Cade Bush (Florida State) and Michael O’Shaugnessy (Davidson) putting an end to a Mohawks rally.
Amsterdam has a chance to get back in the in collum tomorrow night at Saugerties. First pitch from Cantine Field is at 7:05. Glens Falls hosts Oneonta from East Field at 7:00.