DiamondDawgs sweep doubleheader from Trail Blazers

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. – The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs swept the Adirondack Trail Blazers in a Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League doubleheader on Tuesday night in front of 1,713 fans at Veterans Memorial Park. Mohawk Valley won the opening game, 3-2, and then triumphed, 8-1, in the night cap.

Game 1

The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs kicked off a double header on Wednesday at Veteran’s Memorial Park for its Perfect Game Collegiate League (PGCBL) matchup against the Adirondack Trail Blazers after its game against the Utica Brewers was rained out the previous night. The DiamondDawgs won game one 3-2 in the seven-inning affair.

In the first game, Michael DeCarlo (Herkimer CC) took the hill for the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs while Chas Parsons (Mohawk Valley CC) was on the rubber for the visiting Trail Blazers. Patrick Michon (Texas A&M) who entered the game in the sixth picked up his first win of the season improving to 1-1 while Parson got the loss dropping to 0-3.

The DiamondDawgs looked to score early in the game in the bottom of the third after a Matt Zanotta (Bryant) single resulted in Willie Shaw (William & Mary) thrown out at the plate after he attempted to score to end the inning. Adirondack bounced back and was threatening in the top of the fourth when they put runners on first and second after Riley Moonan (Farleigh Dickenson) walked and Matt Chaidez (Cal State Stanislaus) singles but Luke Emling (Villanova) hit into a 4-6-3 double play to strand the runners and come away with no runs.

The DiamondDawgs came back in their half of the fourth inning and Brett Zaziski (Vassar) tripled to start off the inning and then scored after Casey Rodrigue (Indiana) grounded out and the DiamondDawgs got on the board first leading 1-0. The Trail Blazers tied the ball game up at 1-1 after Luke Emling (Villanova) doubled to left field scoring Matt Chaidez (Cal State Stanislaus).  After Patrick Michon (Texas A&M) entered the game Alex Mata (Saint Leo) singled to score Emling and take their first lead of the game 2-0.

The DiamondDawgs took to the top of the seventh inning and tied up the ballgame after Willie Shaw (William & Mary) singled to score Casey Rodrigue (Indiana) and then took the lead when Landon Thibodeaux (LSU Eunice) singled scoring Shaw giving the home team a 3-2 advantage and winning game one.

For the DiamondDawgs offensively Casey Rodrigue (Indiana) was 1-for-3 with an RBI, Willie Shaw (William & Mary) was 3-for-3 with an RBI and a double while Landon Thibodeaux (LSU Eunice), Matt Zanotta (Bryant) and Brett Zaziski (Vassar) all singled. In his start Mike DeCarlo went 5.1 innings with 4 hits and one strikeout.

The Trail Blazers Matt Chaidez (Cal State Stanislaus) went 2-for-3 and in the losing effort Chas Parsons (MVCC) went six innings allowing 7 hits and recorded 5 strikeouts.

Game 2

The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs kicked off game two of its Perfect Game Collegiate League (PGCBL) doubleheader against the Adirondack Trail Blazers after winning game one by a final of 3-2 at Veteran’s Memorial Park and picked up a second win 8-1.

Dalton Herrington (ULM) got the DiamondDawgs offense moving when he tripled in the first inning scoring Jordan Friend (Alabama A&M) and giving the DiamondDawgs a 1-0 lead. The Dawgs put up another run when Willie Shaw (William & Mary) grounded out scoring Harrington and stretching the lead to 2-0.

The Dawgs struck again in the third inning when Shaw and Landon Thibodeaux (LSU Eunice) walked and Joey Tracey (UAlbany) and Trey Hunt III (Point Loma Nazarene) scored on errors.  Sam Dexter (Southern Maine) also walked and Tracey stole home and when was all said and done the Dawgs led 5-0.  The bottom of the fourth saw the Dawgs put up another run when Jordan Serena (Columbia) singled and stole a base and Daulton Harrington (ULM) doubled scoring Serena and the Dawgs jumped out in front 6-0.

The sole run for the Trail Blazers came in the fifth inning when Brandon Jossey (Seton Hill) doubled and advanced to third from a ball thrown in the dirt and scored after Luke Emling (Villanova) popped up resulting in a play at the plate in which the runner was safe.

The DiamondDawgs tacked on two more runs in the bottom of the fifth to seal the deal and walked away with two wins for the evening.

The Dawgs bats produced the following Jordan Serena (Columbia) was 1-for-3 with a run scored, Dalton Herrington (ULM) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and 2 RBI, Willie Shaw (William & Mary) had an RBI, Jordan Friend (Alabama A&M) was 2-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI and Dave Peretti (Union) had an RBI.

Stephen Carey (UAlbany) went 5 innings giving up 2 hits, a run, 5 walks and seven strikeouts while Troy Applin (Norfolk State) pitched one inning allowing no hits or runs and Tyler Bray (ULM) also tossed an inning allowing a hit and 2 strikeouts.

For Adirondack Matt Engler (MVCC) pitched 4 innings allowing 5 hits, 6 runs and 4 bases on balls while Chris Rheaume (Ave Maria) pitched 2 innings allowing 2 hits, 2 runs, 3 walks and recorded 3 strikeouts. Luke Emling (Villanova) had an RBI for Adirondack and Brandon Jossey (Seton Hill) went 1-for-2 with a run.

The DiamondDawgs are back at Veterans Memorial Park Saturday, July 6, 2013 for a 7:05pm contest against the Amsterdam Mohawks.