The Mohawks (30-4) extended their win streak to a season-best 10 games in a row with an 8-4 defeat of the Outlaws (17-16-1) from Shuttleworth Park on Tuesday night. Amsterdam has now won at least 30 games in each of the last 13 seasons with head coach Keith Griffin at the helm.
In a bullpen game, Arlon Butts (Arkansas State) made his fifth start for the Mohawks and only recorded nine outs. The sophomore tossed three shutout frames alongside four strikeouts, allowing two hits. Amsterdam was also held in check through three while facing Oneonta starter Matthew DeBois (St. Peter’s). Chris Suter (Union) relieved Butts in the top of the fourth and retired the side to hold the scoreless tie. During the bottom of the fourth, however, a wild pitch from DeBois allowed Mark Black (Gardiner-Webb) to score and give the Mohawks a 1-0 lead.
After another run-free inning from Suter in the top of the fifth, Amsterdam tripled its lead thanks to a Connor Moore (Florida State) home run and an Ian Petrutz (Maryland) RBI fielder’s choice in the bottom of the frame. Moore’s home run gave the freshman his second four-bagger in the last three games. Suter didn’t give up a hit through two innings and was replaced by Von Baker (Cornell) in the sixth. Baker struggled in his 10th appearance of the summer, dishing out two walks and a hit by pitch to load the bases with two outs. At that point, Carson Cotugno (Wake Forest) took the mound to face East Division All-Star Devin Boone (Marist).
Unfortunately for the Mohawks, Boone blasted a ball to centerfield for a bases-clearing triple to tie the contest at 3-3. All three runs that scored went against Baker. Amsterdam responded in a big way in the bottom of the sixth, however. After back-to-back hits from Zach Gardiner (Marshall) and Hunter Thomas (Arkansas State), pinch-hitter Michael O’Shaugnessy (Davidson) drove both of them home with a single. After working his way to third, O’Shaughnessy pulled off a delayed steal of home after Moore swiped second base to extend the lead 6-3 Mohawks. Amsterdam wasn’t done, as Nick Giamarusti (Pittsburgh) then dropped a double into rightfield that let Moore touch home plate. And to cap off a five-run frame, Gage Miller punched an RBI single to score Giamarusti and make it 8-3 Mohawks after six.
DeBois was handed the loss as he allowed season highs in runs (eight) and hits (12) in 5.2 innings pitched. Cotugno secured his first win on the season by chucking 1.1 scoreless frames with a hit and a punchout. Jack Slyvia (St. Lawrence) and Luis Misla (Hudson Valley CC) recorded the final six outs of the night, with neither allowing an earned run. The Outlaws did get one back in the top of the eighth, though, after a Mohawks error gave Jeff Pierantoni (Yale) the opportunity to score from third. Oneonta’s bullpen tossed 2.1 hitless innings with four strikeouts and three walks. Three Mohawks finished with multiple hits, highlighted by a 3-4 evening from Giamarusti.
Amsterdam is on the road tonight to play Albany for the third time in five days. First pitch is at 6:35 pm, listen to the radio broadcast on the Amsterdam Mohawks’ Facebook page through Facebook Live. Oneonta travels to Cantine Field for a battle with Saugerties at 7:05 pm.