by: Andy Malnoske (mytwintiers.com)
AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (WETM) – Game one went to the defending PGCBL Champions.
The Elmira Pioneers dropped the first game of the PGCBL Championship 4-0 on the road in Amsterdam Wednesday night. After the loss, Elmira is now in a must-win situation as the series comes to Dunn Field Thursday night.
Fan attendance is free in Elmira Thursday courtesy of the Hilliard Corporation. First pitch is slated for 6:35 pm in the best-of-three series.
The Mohawks, who are making their fifth consecutive PGCBL Championship appearance, got a strong outing from pitcher Jack Seppings. In five innings, the Brown University hurler allowed no runs and struck out eight batters on three hits.
Amsterdam pitcher Peyton Fall was equally impressive on the mound. The University of Central Florida product threw four hitless innings with six strikeouts in relief.
Amsterdam first got on the board in the bottom of the third courtesy of a Cam Gurney RBI single to left making the score 1-0 Mohawks.
In the bottom of the 7th, on a full count, Luke Longo added an RBI double for Amsterdam giving them a 2-0 edge. In the 8th, the Mohawks put more runs up on the scoreboard thanks to two RBI singles by Zach Eldred and Mason Swinney.
Bruer Webster, who plays college ball for The University of Utah, was 3-for-4 and scored a run pacing the Mohawks.
The Pioneers could not comeback from the final 4-0 deficit. Elmira generated just three hits on the night, two from Joe Muzio, with one being a double. John Schroeder added the only other hit for the Pioneers with a single.
Josh Keldsen took the loss for Elmira at pitcher. Keldsen pitched five innings giving up one run on five hits with four strikeouts. Amsterdam broke the game open when Elmira’s Christian Zilli entered in relief.
Zilli threw two innings and gave up five hits and three runs. The Pioneers will look to keep their season alive Thursday night with a stronger performance.
Elmira is coming off their first PGCBL West Championship win since 2013. Stay with 18 Sports for more Thursday on the Pioneers in the series.