DiamondDawgs Down Trail Blazers in 13 innings (June 18)

BOONVILLE, N.Y. – In the third game of a three-game series this past week between the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs and Adirondack Trail Blazers, the DiamondDawgs would take 13 innings to come away with a 8-6 win Saturday and got their revenge following a 6-2 loss Friday in Little Falls.

After a quick first inning, both teams came out strong in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Tim Zeng (Fairfield) hit a two-RBI single, scoring Russ Olive (UMass Lowell) and Dan Deely (Sacramento State), giving the DiamondDawgs a 2-0 lead. Johnny Mayer (Norfolk State) also recorded an RBI single and Zeng came around to score later in the inning, giving the Dawgs a 4-0 lead.

In the bottom half, the Blazers answered right back. With the bases loaded, Steffen Torgersen (Dartmouth) hit a bases-clearing double and closed the gap to 4-3. Jordan Torrento (Adrian) was up next and slapped a home run, giving Adirondack a 5-4 lead after two innings.

In the top of the third, Deely hit a solo home run to even the ball game a 5-5. From there, both teams struggled to get hits and runners on base, mainly in part to great pitching from Michael Delease (Central Conn. State) and Tyler Ksiazek (Monmouth), the starters for Adirondack and Mohawk Valley respectively. Ksiazek finished with 12 strikeouts through 6.2 innings.

Mohawk Valley lit up the score board once again in the eighth with an RBI single from Ben Porter (Columbia) scoring Zeng.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Trail Blazers tied the game at six a piece after a dropped fly ball in right field allowed Riley Schaefer (Texas Lutheran) to score, who had reached base off a wild pitch on strike three at his at bat.

With more time being needed, little time was wasted to get through each round of at bats for each team. It was the DiamondDawgs, however, who finally got the hit they were looking for. Olive hit a deep, two-run home run to right field, giving his club the 8-6 advantage and ultimately the win.

Zach Vennaro (Mount Olive) evened his season record at 1-1 with the win. Brady Larson (Plymouth State) lost his second game and Josh Arnold (Fairfield) picked up his second save in 2017.

Saturday was the first game of a four-game home stand for Adirondack. They will play the Albany Dutchmen on Sunday, followed by the Elmira Pioneers and then the Utica Blue Sox all in consecutive days.