AMSTERDAM, N.Y. - In an explosive back-and-forth game at Shuttleworth Park, the Amsterdam Mohawks took advantage of terrific performances at the plate by their catchers to defeat the Saugerties Stallions in the East Division Semifinals by the score of 6-3 on Tuesday night.

Dan Maynard (Maryland) went 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and a run scored, and Dustin Skelton (Mississippi State) went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs to lead the Mohawks.  Matt Forlow (Manhattan) went 3-for-4 with an RBI to lead Saugerties.

The win advances the Mohawks to the East Division Championship Series, where they will face off against the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs in a best-of-three series.

Saugerties got the scoring started in the top of the second when Matt Forlow doubled home Tyler Kelder (St. Bonaventure) to give the Stallions an early 1-0 lead.  However, the Mohawks quickly tied it up at 1-all in the bottom half of the inning on a Dan Maynard RBI double.

It would stay 1-1 until the bottom of the 4th, when Eric Rivera (Florida Atlantic) scampered home with the go ahead run after Dan Maynard drew a throw down to first after striking out.  Dustin Skelton would add an RBI double to make it 3-1, Mohawks.

In the 6th, Dustin Skelton would add another RBI double to his hot night at the plate, stretching the Amsterdam lead to 3 runs.

The Stallions cut into the Mohawks lead in the top of the 7th when Matt Feinstein drilled an RBI double down the left field line to make it 4-2, Amsterdam.  The next batter Luke Pettersen (Minnesota) would plate Feinstein with an RBI single, cutting the score to 4-3, Mohawks.

Amsterdam would get some insurance in the bottom of the 8th on an Eric Rivera RBI triple and a Dan Maynard RBI double to make it 6-3, and that’s how it would end.

The win goes to Joe LaSorsa (St. John's), while Nick Massa (Manhattan) is saddled with the loss.  Morgan McSweeney (Wake Forest) picked up the save after tossing 2.1 innings of scoreless relief.

The Mohawks will host the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs at Shuttleworth Park on Wednesday, August 2, in Game 1 of the PGCBL East Division Championship Series, with the first pitch slated for 6:35 PM.