Stallions and Muckdogs to Clash for 2025 PGCBL Title
NEW HARTFORD, N.Y. – There will be a new champion in the PGCBL this season after the Saugerties Stallions outlasted defending champions Amsterdam Mohawks 3-2 in an epic 11-inning East Division final on Friday night. The Stallions advance to face the West Division champion Batavia Muckdogs in a best-of-three championship series. Game one will be Saturday evening in Saugerties, while Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will be Sunday in Batavia.
How They Got Here
The Muckdogs, top seeds in the West, defeated the #4 Auburn Doubledays 6-1 in the opening round of the playoffs. In the West Final, Batavia beat #2 Jamestown 4-2. Luc Rising pitched 6.2 innings and allowed just one unearned run while striking out five batters and Eric Woodley finished the game with two scoreless innings out of the pen to save the win and punch Batavia's ticket to the championship series. Cooper Fesh was 2-4 with an RBI and Omar Carreras scored twice for the Muckdogs.
Saugerties was the #2 seed in the East and in the first round handed #3 Utica a 6-4 defeat. The East final was another classic showdown between the Stallions and Mohawks. The game was scoreless through 8 innings before Saugerties took a 1-0 lead in the top of the ninth, only to have Amsterdam tie it and force extra innings in a dramatic final frame. After a scoreless tenth, Saugerties plated two runs in the top of the 11th, then held off another Amsterdam rally to knock off the #1 seed and three-time defending champions.
As they have been all season, Lewis Rodriguez and Jamie Zee were at the heart of the Stallions' East Division championship win. Rodriguez had four hits at the leadoff spot, while Zee was 2-4 with two runs scored.
Championship History
This will be Batavia's second trip to the PGCBL championship series. In 2022, the Muckdogs fell to Amsterdam 2-1, but ended up as the only team to win a game against the Mohawks in the finals during their three-year run of titles. They won the West Division regular season for the fourth straight time this year and have reached back to back West Division championship games already as they look to complete their season with their first PGCBL title.
Saugerties is the last team not named Amsterdam to have won the PGCBL. The Stallions defeated the Mohawks in the championship series in 2021 with a 2-0 sweep. Saugerties are making their fifth straight playoffs appearance and were the #2 seed in the East for the second straight season.
Scouting the Finals
No surprise that Batavia and Saugerties have been among the most potent offenses in the league, with the Muckdogs leading the PGCBL with 335 runs scored and the Stallions right behind with 329 runs. The two teams are dead even with 543 total bases.
Saugerties has used speed to their advantage, with 154 stolen bases, far and away the most in the league. They have a little bit of pop as well, as their 15 home runs is fourth in the league.
Batavia, who has only hit two home runs all year, has been more methodical, cranking out hits to lead the league with 431 base knocks and a team batting average of .288, second-best in the PGCBL, just behind the Stallions' .288.
On the pitching side, Batavia has also led the league with a 3.84 ERA. Muckdogs pitching has struck out 351 batters and, despite playing in more games than all but one other team (45), they have issued the fewest total walks in the league, leading to a PGCBL-best 1.37 WHIP.
2025 PGCBL Championship Schedule
Saturday, August 2
Game 1: #1 Batavia at #2 Saugerties @ Cantine Field, 7:05 PM
Live Video: Saugerties Stallions - YouTube
Sunday, August 3
Game 2: #2 Saugerties at #1 Batavia, 4:00 PM
Game 3 (if necessary): #2 Saugerties at #1 Batavia, 7:00 PM*
*Time may change based on end of Game 2
Live Video: Batavia Muckdogs Baseball - YouTube