News
2012 PGCBL Coach of the Year![]() Keith Griffin (in red) gives instruction to the Amsterdam Mohawks prior to a regular season game at Shuttleworth Park. Photo courtesy Amsterdam Mohawks Griffin guided the Mohawks to a magical 2012 season that included a franchise record 39 overall victories and a league championship. Between the regular season and playoffs, Amsterdam went 39-13 (.750). The Mohawks set PGCBL regular season marks for wins (35) and winning percentage (.745). Amsterdam moved into a three-way tie for first place with Newark and Albany on June 13, just one week into the season. The Mohawks remained in the catbird’s seat for the next seven weeks, finishing eight games ahead of second-place Glens Falls. Nationally speaking, Griffin helmed the Mohawks to a spot in Perfect Game’s Summer Top 30 poll for nine-straight weeks beginning in mid-June. Amsterdam is currently ranked second in the country and the Mohawks have spent seven weeks in a row in the national top 10. Griffin’s Mohawks earned 22 of their 35 regular season victories by three runs or more and 16 victories came in games decided by five or more runs. When the score was close, the Mohawks found a way to win. Amsterdam was 8-5 in one-run games and 13-7 in contests decided by two runs or less. The Mohawks won the longest game in the two-year history of the league on June 13 at Oneonta’s Damaschke Field. Amsterdam outlasted Oneonta 5-4 in a 15-inning marathon. Amsterdam’s pitching staff was the best in the PGCBL. The Mohawks led the league in earned run average (3.34), wins (35), shutouts (five), innings pitched (428.1), fewest hits allowed (347), fewest runs allowed (194), fewest earned runs allowed (159), strikeouts (420) and opponents’ batting average (.223). Chandler Shepherd (Kentucky) led the league in opponents’ batting average (.154) and tied for the league lead in victories (seven) and ERA (1.31). Shepherd and Rocky McCord (Auburn) tied for fifth in the league in strikeouts (50) and McCord was also among the top five in ERA (1.71) and OBA (.180). Reliever Chase Williamson (Auburn) tied for the league lead in saves (eight) and was second in appearances (20). Eleven Mohawks were chosen to play in the 2012 PGCBL All-Star Game for Keith Griffin’s Team Griffin. Team Griffin triumphed over Team Ebright, 4-0, and Amsterdam’s Giuseppe Papaccio (Seton Hall) was the All-Star Game Most Valuable Player. Griffin’s Mohawks won 35 games and finished as league champions despite the loss of seven starting position players during the regular season. Several other Mohawks that finished the season missed at least a week due to injury. Twenty-one Mohawks had at least one at-bat and Keith Griffin, along with pitching coach Max Hutson, utilized 18 different pitchers including nine starters. Griffin, a Pensacola, Fla., resident, just completed his fourth season as the head coach of the Mohawks. Over the last four years, Amsterdam has compiled 141 victories overall, 122 regular season victories, 19 playoff wins, three 30-win regular seasons and three league championships. Amsterdam has advanced to a league championship series four years in a row. Prior to Amsterdam, Griffin was a collegiate head coach at both Okaloosa-Walton (Fla.) J.C. and Jefferson Davis (Ala.) C.C. Coach of the Year Winners 2011 – Eric Coleman, Cooperstown 2012 – Keith Griffin, Amsterdam |
![]()
Browse by Month »
May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 January 2022 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 June 2020 May 2020 March 2020 January 2020 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 October 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 November 2010 |