By: Sam Reis
A tie game quickly turned into a rout as Amsterdam notched 12 runs in three innings to run rule the Watertown Rapids in a 14-2, six inning win at Rao Family Stadium on Tuesday.
Zach Eldred (Brockport) made his pitching debut for the Mohawks, going one time through the Watertown order. In two innings, the right hander struck out five batters, while walking two and allowing two hits.
Sean Decker-Jacoby (Brandeis) started on the rubber for Watertown, making his second start of the season.
Amsterdam scored in the first inning for the second consecutive game. Luke Longo (NJIT) beat out a double play to score Gage Miller (Bishop State CC) and put the Mohawks on the board.
In the second inning, a hit to right center field from Eddie Yamin (Dayton) was nearly caught on a spectacular diving effort by Mike Norton (Wheeling) but it dropped down and resulted in a triple that brought home Carlos Martinez (Pittsburgh).
Gio Conte (UConn) replaced Eldred on the mound for Amsterdam in the third inning. Owen Parliament (SUNY Oswego) evened the score with a two-run blast to right field in the fourth inning. Conte settled in, going three innings and allowing three hits.
After the Rapids tied the game, the Mohawks answered right back in the fourth. Amsterdam retook the lead on a single by Dylan Banner (UAlbany) that scored Cam Gurney (Utah). Moments later, Gage Miller sent in Dylan Banner on a single to give the Mohawks a 4-2 lead.
Aiden Maxwell (SUNY Cobleskill) entered out of the bullpen for Watertown in the fifth inning and allowed four hits and six runs while walking three and striking out one.
The fifth inning scoring opened up with a single by Cam Gurney that drove in Luke Longo. A walk to Carlos Martinez brought in Dakota Duffalo (Utah) to make it 6-2. A sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Bryce Hubbard (Mississippi State) allowed Cam Gurney to tag up and head home to make it a five run lead. Two more runs were scored as a hit to right field from Jalen Debose (Florida Atlantic) led to Dylan Banner and Carlos Martinez scoring from first and third. After a throw was made to the plate, catcher David McCann (Virginia Tech) overthrew second baseman Terence Moynihan (St. Michaels) trying to get DeBose out, allowing him to advance to third base. Gage Miller, the next batter, delivered a single to center field, sending DeBose home for the sixth run of the inning.
That RBI for Miller was his second of the game and 42nd of his Amsterdam career, tying him with Maxwell Costes (Maryland) for the eighth most RBI in Mohawk history.
Eddy Leon (Marshall) came in for Conte in the sixth inning and recorded two strikeouts while allowing one hit.
Amsterdam’s offense did not slow down. Malachi Flaherty (St. Joseph’s) was the third pitcher of the game for Watertown, allowing three hits and four runs in ⅔ innings. Cam Gurney tallied his second RBI of the night in his Mohawk debut, grounding a single to the left side with the bases loaded to score Zach Eldred. Once more with the bases loaded, a sacrifice fly to right field for Dylan Banner resulted in Luke Longo tagging up and heading home to give the Mohawks a 10 run lead. Carlos Martinez then singled home Dakota Duffalo to make it 13-2. Bryce Hubbard’s sacrifice fly to right field allowed Cam Gurney to come home and that run ended the game as the 12-run rule came into effect.
Gio Conte was credited with the win while Sean Decker-Jacoby suffered his second loss. The right hander for the Rapids pitched the first four innings, allowing seven hits, two walks and four runs while striking out one.
Watertown was limited to six hits while Amsterdam recorded 14. Nine of the starters for the Mohawks finished with a hit and every starter had either a hit or a run.
Amsterdam improved to 5-0 with the win and plays another home game on Wednesday against the Utica Blue Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35.