Three doubleheaders and eight total games were completed around the PGCBL on Sunday. We now head into the final week of regular season games.
Newark Pilots 12, Elmira Pioneers 11 (GAME 1) – 7 Innings
Newark’s (11-24-1) 7th inning walk-off rally gave them the victory over Elmira (24-15-1).
From the start, this contest was a back-and-forth offensive battle, with 23 runs scored before a winner could be declared. Elmira began the offensive fun in the top of the first, when right fielder John Schroeder (Fl. Atlantic) hit a 3-run triple to bring in three of his five RBIs. Among the offensive breakout, Pioneers left fielder Cooper Smith (Tufts) also shined, with two hits and two RBIs. Heading into the seventh (and final) inning, Elmira led 10-9, abut even after adding on one more run, their lead wouldn’t be safe.
The Pilots had a great day up-and-down the lineup, picking up nine hits and 11 runs. After scoring nine runs in the first six innings, they were put in an 11-9 deficit for their final at bats. In the bottom of the seventh inning, an RBI single by shortstop Michael Flaherty (Grinnell) pulled them to within one, and after a wild pitch brought home another run and Flaherty standing on third base with two outs, left fielder Paulie Goodness (Finger Lakes CC) delivered with the walk-off hit to seal the win.
Dillon Kelly (Alfred State) picked up the win for Newark, pitching a scoreless final 1.2 innings.
Elmira Pioneers 6, Newark Pilots 1 (GAME 2) – 7 Innings
Elmira (25-15-1) took control of game two to secure the split over the Pilots (11-25-1).
After a big game one performance, the Pilots offense struggled to give them a chance at a doubleheader sweep. In the bottom of the fourth, third baseman Nick Payne (Centenary) stole home to cut into what was a 3-0 Elmira lead at the time, but the Pilots wouldn’t cross home plate again after that. Second baseman Briggs Loveland (Emerson) played well, with a hit and a walk.
Elmira broke out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning, the big hit being a 2-run single off the bat of second baseman Nick Bisaccia (Seton Hall), who had two hits in the game. In the top of the sixth, already up 3-1, Elmira would tack on three more runs to take control, all beginning with an RBI single from shortstop Dom Presto (West Florida), who had three hits in game two.
Zack Nelson (Corning CC) got the win for the Pioneers, pitching four innings, allowing one earned run, and striking out three. Gardner Meeks (Roanoke) came in for a perfect final three frames to earn the save, his third of the season.
Batavia Muckdogs 12, Geneva Red Wings 0 (GAME 1) – 5 Innings
Batavia (24-13) used both their impressive bats and strong arms to easily win game one of the doubleheader over Geneva (10-28-1).
The Geneva offense struggled in this game, their lone hit coming from leadoff hitter/DH/pitcher Brandon Gelpi (Baldwin Wallace). A few other Red Wings got on base via walks, but they were simply overmatched by Batavia’s pitching.
The star of the show for the Muckdogs was shortstop Lucas Lopez (St. Thomas), who picked up a ridiculous seven RBIs in the game. A 2-run single followed by a 3-run double followed by another 2-run single allowed him to compile a fantastic stat line and give the Muckdogs full control of the game.Right fielder Josh Leadem (Rochester) also shined, reaching base three times with two RBIs.
Batavia starter Preston Prince (Niagara U) shined on Sunday, pitching all five innings scoreless with nine strikeouts to earn the win.
Batavia Muckdogs 9, Geneva Red Wings 2 (GAME 2) – 7 Innings
Despite Geneva (10-29-1) showing something at their plate, Batavia (25-13) once again put up a big offensive performance to sweep the doubleheader.
Batavia struck first in game two, taking a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. From there, the offense wouldn’t take many breaks, scoring again in the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to reach nine total runs for the game. Second baseman Giuseppe Arcuri (Saint Leo) had a strong day, picking up two RBIs.
Geneva’s two runs came in the bottom of the sixth when the Red Wings took advantage of a couple of Muckdogs errors to put themselves on the board. Third baseman Dillon Can (NJIT) had a strong performance, picking up two hits.
Ryan Kinney (Xavier) was the star of the game for the Muckdogs, tossing all seven innings with zero earned runs. He struck out eight and was able to lower his season ERA to a tiny 0.84 in the win.
Auburn Doubledays 4, Jamestown Tarp Skunks 2 (GAME 1) – 7 Innings
Auburn (20-17) used an early rally to take control of game one in Jamestown (21-15-1).
Jamestown wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in game one of the doubleheader, when DH Evan Fragela (Pitt-Bradford) came home on a wild pitch to give Jamestown a 1-0 lead. The Tarp Skunks’ second run would come in the fifth, when first baseman Cooper Munro (Drury) smacked his first home run of the season, a solo blast.
Down 1-0, the DoubleDays came back with four runs in the top of the second inning to take hold of the game. After the first run came across on an error, short stop Carson Gross (Northern Colorado) picked up a rare RBI hit-by-pitch to give Auburn the lead. Directly after him, DH Hazel Martinez (Union) then came through with a big 2-run double to give Auburn their third and fourth runs.
Andrew Isdale (Northern Colorado) got the win for the DoubleDays pitching five innings, allowing two earned runs, and striking out five. Simon Aluko (Charleston Southern) came in for the save, striking out five in the final two frames.
Auburn Doubledays 3, Jamestown Tarp Skunks 2 (GAME 2) – 7 Innings
Auburn (21-17) rode a late rally to give them the sweep and further close the gap between them and Jamestown (21-16-1) in the standings.
Once again, it was Jamestown who scored first when catcher Evan Fragela (Pitt-Bradford) picked up a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the first. The next inning, another sacrifice fly, this time from first baseman Colin Houck (East Stroudsburg) put the Tarp Skunks up 2-0, but they wouldn’t be able to hold Auburn there.
After a scoreless first five frames, the DoubleDays offense got going in the top of the sixth. After loading up the bases with two outs, EH AJ Wenrich (Georgia Southern) stepped up to the plate and delivered a massive 3-run double to give the DoubleDays a 3-2 lead.
Devin MacWatters (Charleston Southern) got the win for Auburn, pitching six innings, giving up one earned run, and striking out five. After taking the lead, Michael Sills (Wofford) came in to close out the game and record the save in the seventh inning.
Oneonta Outlaws 5, Watertown Rapids 3
Oneonta (13-27) got the best of Watertown (13-28) in this close West Division matchup.
In the top of the second, Oneonta got the scoring started with an RBI single from catcher Anthony Barone (Oswego State), who had two hits in the game. After then scoring two in the fifth, another two runs came in in the sixth inning via a 2-run single from left fielder Miguel Rodriguez to give the Outlaws their fourth and fifth runs for the game.
The Rapids’ offense got going in the bottom of the fifth when second baseman Terence Moynihan (Saint Michael’s) picked up an RBI single. Then, after a sacrifice fly by first baseman Quinten Perili (Elizabethtown) in the sixth, Moynihan would smack another RBI hit in the seventh to cut the Oneonta lead to 5-3. Unfortunately, that would be all for the Rapids offense.
Patrick Dengler (Saint Rose) started for the Outlaws and pitched well, but it was Christopher Ubner (St. Thomas Aquinas) who would come in in relief to earn the win. Sean Dertinger (Oswego) pitched a perfect final two innings for the save.
Glens Falls Dragons 16, Boonville Lumberjacks 3 – 7 Innings
Glens Falls (13-23) rode a massive offensive day to the win over the Lumberjacks (14-28).
The Glens Falls offense had one of the best night of the summer, putting up an impressive 16 runs in the blowout victory. EH Nick Marola (Coker) and shortstop Zander Teator (Babson) both hit their first home runs of the season to make the day extra special. Marola, Teator, and third baseman Jack Griffin (Saint Rose) each picked up three hits to lead the way.
For the Lumberjacks, DH Nicholas Vega (NJIT) had a big moment, hitting his first home run of the summer to make a strong contribution. Meanwhile, left fielder Dom Jackson (Xavier) also picked up an RBI, but of course Boonville wouldn’t have enough to compete.
Frank Ciccone (St. Joseph’s) pitched six innings, giving up two earned runs and striking out six to earn the win.