Carcone, Greig lead Dawgs to victory over Amsterdam

By TIMES STAFF REPORTS

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. — Opening day starter Bryan Greig pitched six scoreless innings for his second Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League victory Monday and Joe Carcone provided an offensive spark in his return to the DiamondDawgs as Mohawk Valley defeated the Amsterdam Mohawks 3-1.

Carcone started a two-run first inning at Veterans Memorial Park and scored again in the fifth when the DiamondDawgs took a 3-0 lead against the owners of the league’s best record. He singled to start the bottom of the first against the previously-unbeaten Taylor Blatch and came around to score when Eric Strano followed with a triple. A pair of walks loaded the bases with one out and Strano scored when Mike Triller grounded out to second base.

Carcone grounded out in his second at-bat then led off the fifth with a double. Strano followed with a double of his own, picking up his second RBI and giving the home team a three-run lead.

Meanwhile Greig, winless since June 23, was masterful against the PGCBL’s top-hitting team. He allowed seven hits — all singles — and did not walk a batter while striking out four through six innings. No Mohawk advanced past first base until JaVon Shelby stole second in the sixth inning; Strano threw Jonathan Pryor out trying to steal second in the first.
Greig got the final two outs of the sixth inning with Shelby at third base and kept Amsterdam off the scoreboard.

Enzo Esposito pitched a scoreless seventh but ran into trouble in the eighth. John Razzino reached base when the third strike got away from Strano with one out then stole second. Esposito walked Thomas Kain and Alex DeBellis to load the bases and Matt Pidich replaced the left-hander on the mound. Pidich walked Joey Aiola, the first batter he faced, to force a run home, then struck pinch-hitter Brendan Tracy out to end the inning.

Shelby’s two-out single in the ninth inning was his third hit of the game and brought the tying run to the plate for Amsterdam. Pidich then fanned Razzino to end the game.

Carcone, who also singled in the seventh inning, previously played in Little Falls in 2012 before transferring from Bryant University to the College of Saint Rose. A senior from New Hartford, Carcone redshirted this spring, preserving a year of college eligibility and making him eligible for another summer in the PGCBL. He batted .298 and stole 17 bases for the 2012 DiamondDawgs.

Strano and Carcone combined for five of the eight Mohawk Valley hits.

Aiola had two hits for Amsterdam.

The Mohawks had won six of the teams’ previous seven meetings this season, including all three games at Veterans Memorial Park. Amsterdam is 26-7 against Mohawk Valley during the regular season since 2011.
The schedule sends the DiamondDawgs on the road for doubleheaders Wednesday at Glens Falls and Thursday at Watertown. They return home to play another doubleheader Friday agaiunst Elmira and complete a stretch with 13 games in eight days.
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