By Thaddeus Johnson
JAMESTOWN, N.Y. – Game 2 of the 2017 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) Championship Series went to the Jamestown Jammers, who defeated the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs with a score of 5-2 to force a decisive third game.
The series finale, which will decide the winner of the 2017 PGCBL title with the series currently tied at one game apiece, is scheduled for Tuesday, August 8, at 7:05 p.m. at Russell E. Diethrick Jr. Park in Jamestown, N.Y.
In the top of the first the DiamondDawgs took an early lead when Clay Koniencki (Monmouth) crushed a solo home run over the left-field fence. The Jammers would answer back in the bottom of the frame, as John Conti (Canisius) led the inning off with a triple and later scored on a groundout to even the score at 1-1.
In the bottom of the third, the Jammers took the lead by scoring three runs on three hits. Conti got things started by doubling and scoring on a Christ Conley (Canisius) RBI single. After a walk was issued to Ben Brookover (UTSA), Skyler Valentine (UTSA) ripped a two-run triple to make it 4-1 Jammers after three innings.
The Jammers added another run in the bottom of the fourth, when as Jimmy Standohar (Mercyhurst) doubled and scored on a Conti RBI single that increased the lead to 5-1.
The DiamondDawgs tacked on a run in the top of the seventh, when Columbia University teammates combined to tally a second run and trim the deficit down to 5-2. Ben Porter (Columbia) laced a double to lead off the inning and subsequently scored as Joe Engel (Columbia) singled.
Jamestown received a great performance from starting pitcher Cory Blessing (Ohio), who threw 6.1 innings and allowed only two runs on three hits and four strikeouts. Out of the bullpen, righty Colin Johnston (Monroe C.C.) hurled 2.2 innings of scoreless baseball.