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Dawgs Survive Five-Run Albany Rally For Fifth Straight

July 24, 2021 - Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL)
Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs News Release


LITTLE FALLS, NY It always seems to happen every year: the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs and Albany Dutchmen meet to determine a playoff spot.

Unfortunately, for the first time in almost ten years, the Diamond Dawgs and Dutchmen will not meet in the PGCBL Playoffs, but that didn't make Saturday night's game any less intense.

The Diamond Dawgs held off an intense five-run rally late in the game to keep themselves alive in the Central Division playoff race, knocking off the Dutchmen, 6-5 for their fifth

The game would be a pitcher's duel between Albany's Ryan Yerby (Montara, CA/RPI) and Mohawk Valley's Keegan Leffler (Wilton, NY/UMBC) until the sixth. Daniel Burnett (Granville, MA/Hartford) looped a ball into left field to take the lead. That 2-RBI single scored Evan Berta (Yorktown Heights, NY/Fairfield) and Rob Taylor (Wolcott, CT/New Haven). The Diamond Dawgs would extend the lead to three one inning later with a sacrifice fly to left field by Tyler Cannon (Clayton, NJ/Iona) that scored Mike Becchetti (Eastchester, NY/Fairfield).

The lead would balloon to four just one batter later on a hard-hit ball by Berta. The throw was errant, and that allowed his classmate Matt Venuto (Mansfield, MA/Fairfield) to score.

Tom Kretzler (Albany, NY/SUNY Brockport) would finally get Albany on the board in the eighth with a 2-RBI single to center field that dropped harmlessly between the Mohawk Valley fielders. That hit would score Ryan McGee (Schenectady, NY/Siena) and Mike Handal (Garden City, NY/Fairfield). Kretzler and Isaac Humphrey (Calhoun, KY/Louisville) would come home on back-to back doubles by the Dutchmen to give them the lead for the first time.

That lead would last one pitch into the bottom of the inning, as Vincenzo Castronovo (Utica, NY/Bryant) rocketed a solo home run his first of the year over the right field fence to tie up the score once again. The Diamond Dawgs took the lead once again on an RBI single to left by Becchetti that would score Cedric Rose (Pittsfield, MA/UMass Lowell).

That one run by Rose would be all closer Nathan Draves (Manhattan Beach, CA/Lynn) would need, as he only allowed a single the rest of the way to close out an exciting game for the home team.

Eddie Rogers (Little Falls, NY/Herkimer) picked up the win for Mohawk Valley, who have now won five straight. Draves picked up the save for the Diamond Dawgs (20-17). Billy Fitzgerald (Bethpage, NY/Fairfield) was saddled with the loss for Albany (19-21).

The Diamond Dawgs will be on the road on Sunday for a doubleheader with the Auburn Doubledays that may go a long way toward determining the two Central Division playoffs. The Dutchmen, however, have no such hopes of making the playoffs, being seven games back of division runner-up Saugerties with five to play. They will continue their final road trip of the season Monday at Shuttleworth Park against the Amsterdam Mohawks.



Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League Stories from July 24, 2021


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