(Article photo taken by Brittany Tousley – @brittousley_photo)
Eight teams competed on day two of the 2023 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League season, while the matchup between the Boonville Lumberjacks and the Oneonta Outlaws, along with the meeting between the Saugerties Stallions and the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs were both postponed due to weather.
Auburn DoubleDays 14, Geneva Red Wings 2
The Auburn DoubleDays scored at least three runs in four of the first five frames to cruise to a 14-2 win over the Geneva Red Wings after seven innings. The DoubleDays tallied three runs in the first, three in the second, one in the third, three in the fourth and then four in the fifth during their season opener to put the game out of reach.
Right fielder Tommy Roldan (Virginia) went 5 for 5 at the plate with two runs scored and a game-high three RBI. Right-hander Jake Danyluk (Oswego) started on the mound for the DoubleDays and held the home team to two hits, three walks and zero runs with five strikeouts through the first 3.0 innings. Tyler Cerame (Finger Lakes) led the Red Wings with two hits during the setback.
Auburn (1-0) will take on the Niagara Power (0-0) on Saturday, June 3 at 7:05 p.m. The Red Wings (0-1) will return to action on Sunday, June 4 when they host the Newark Pilots (0-0) at 5:05 p.m.
Watertown Rapids 5, Utica Blue Sox 3
After dropping their season opener at Boonville on Thursday, the Rapids bounced back on their home field with a tight victory over the Utica Blue Sox (1-1), who were coming off a 13-10 win at Mohawk Valley on Opening Day.
Both teams scored two runs in the first inning, and the game was tied 3-3 after seven. The Rapids scored two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to take the lead for good. Watertown second baseman Terence Moynihan (Saint Michael’s) delivered a team-high two hits to go along with two runs, while first baseman Owen Parliament (Oswego) delivered the go-ahead two-RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to finish the contest with a game-high two runs batted in.
Right-handed pitcher Ryan Peters (Brockport) earned the win for Watertown after holding the Blue Sox scoreless with four strikeouts during the final 2.0 innings. Utica first baseman Norris McClure (Spring Hill) and third baseman Ben Partridge (Rockland) both recorded two hits during the setback. Right-handed pitcher Jordan Savinon (Felician) entered the game to begin the bottom of the fifth and he completed three scoreless innings of work for the Blue Sox.
The Blue Sox will play their home opener on Saturday, June 3 at 6:45 p.m. against Oneonta, while Watertown will hit the road for a doubleheader on Saturday at Albany. The Rapids and the Dutchmen will play at 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Saturday.
Amsterdam Mohawks 8, Glens Falls Dragons 2
After holding onto a 2-0 lead through the first seven innings, the Mohawks put up six runs in the top of the eighth to break away from the Glens Falls Dragons (0-1) and improve their 2023 record to 2-0.
After surrendering two runs in the opening frame, Glens Falls right-hander Riley Orr (Castleton) held the Mohawks scoreless during the next four innings to finish his outing with just four hits, two runs, and one walk allowed with seven strikeouts in 5.0 innings of work.
Amsterdam right-hander Dylan Reid (Brown) delivered a quality start for the Mohawks, holding the Dragons to two hits, zero walks and zero runs with seven strikeouts through the first 4.0 innings. Right reliever Von Baker (Cornell) kept the Dragons scoreless during the fifth and sixth innings and was credited with the victory.
Amsterdam right fielder Zach Eldred (Brockport) led the Mohawks at the plate with a game-high three hits and a game-high four runs batted in on a grand slam home run in the top of the eighth. With the bases cleared in the top of the eighth following Eldred’s home run, second baseman Gage Miller (Bishop State) drew a walk, then catcher/DH Luke Longo (NJIT) launched a two-run home run to complete Amsterdam’s six-run inning.
Left fielder Arit Moreno (Atlantis) and second baseman Colin Myers (St. Joseph’s) both provided two hits to the Glens Falls cause, while right fielder Odilio Cespedes (Bryant and Stratton) ripped an RBI single in the bottom of the eighth.
The Amsterdam Mohawks (2-0) will return home for a 6:45 p.m. matchup against Saugerties on Saturday, while the Dragons will have Saturday off before returning to action on Sunday against Oneonta at 7:00 p.m.
Elmira Pioneers 11, Batavia Muckdogs 9
In both teams’ season-opening game, the Pioneers took down the Muckdogs with the help of a six-run inning early on in the contest. The Muckdogs scored all nine of their runs during the final five innings and brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the top of the ninth, but right-handed relief pitcher Brendan Ferrari (UMass Boston) got a ground ball to the right side for the final out of the game to strand two runners on base and complete the six-out save for the Pioneers.
Elmira third baseman Rey Hernandez (St. Thomas) tallied a game-high four hits to go along with one run scored and three RBI during the victory. Nine different Pioneers crossed the plate on Friday, with center fielder Wes Gingerrich (Purdue) registering a game-high three runs scored for Elmira. During Elmira’ six-run inning in the bottom of the third, shortstop Blaze Fadio (Lafayette) hammered a two-run double to center field, then Hernandez ripped a two-out RBI single to right field later in the inning.
Batavia right fielder Josh Leadem (Rochester) led the Muckdogs with two hits, two runs and three RBI at the plate on Friday, while first baseman Henry Daniels (West Georgia) added two hits and two runs batted in. The Muckdogs scored four runs in the top of the seventh, with the help of a two-run single from Leadem and an RBI single from Daniels, to tie the game at 7-7. The Pioneers responded immediately with four runs of their own in the bottom of the seventh to take back the lead.
Hernandez provided a one-out RBI single to left field in the bottom of the seventh to give the Pioneers an 8-7 advantage, then right fielder Spencer Aubin (UMass Lowell) drove in catcher Jake Kelleher (ETSU) with a double later in the inning to make it 11-7 in favor of Elmira.
Center fielder Anthony Calabro (West Georgia) delivered an RBI double and a run scored during the top of the ninth for the Muckdogs, but Batavia’s comeback bid came up short after Ferrari got a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.
The two sides will play again on Saturday at 6:35 p.m. at Batavia’s Dwyer Stadium.