JULY 18th – Dawgs, Arciuolo rout Blue Sox

The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs broke open a close game in the sixth inning Monday and won 13-7 in Utica. Leadoff hitter Drew Arciuolo had four of the DiamondDawgs’ 17 hits, pushing his average over .400, and scored three runs as Mohawk Valley defeated the Blue Sox for the fourth straight time and the sixth time in eight meetings this season.

Mohawk Valley had scored two runs in the top of the first inning and taken a 5-4 lead with three runs in the fourth. Tanner Wessling from the University of Tennessee-Martin started the sixth inning with a double and later singled as the DiamondDawgs batted around against two Utica pitchers. Fairfield University’s Arciuolo singled, and reliever Eric Handelman hit Wagner University’s Sean Mazzio to load the bases. Fairfield’s Mac Crispino hit a sacrifice fly for the first out of the inning, and Dartmouth College’s Michael Ketchmark drove in a run with a double.

A walk loaded the bases again for Andrew Turner and the second-year DiamondDawg from Long Island University-Brooklyn delivered a two-run single. Dartmouth’s Justin Fowler added a run-scoring single and Wessling drove in a run when he singled his second time up.

The four runs charged to Handelman were the first scored this summer against the Miami University right-hander in 11 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League appearances. The first seven Mohawk Valley runs were charged to starter Brian Kavanaugh from Long Island University-Post.

Mazzio, Crispino and Wessling each had three hits for Mohawk Valley, and Mazzio scored three runs and Crispino drove in three.Sinclair University’s Hunter Losecamp had three doubles for the Blue Sox and drove in two runs.

Southern New Hampshire University’s Brendan Welch allowed two runs in four innings of relief for Mohawk Valley and was credited with the win. Welch took the mound in the third inning following a planned two-inning tuneup outing for Herkimer College General Joe DeSarro.

Kavanaugh took his first loss in four decisions for the Blue Sox. He entered the game with a 2.52 ERA and departed with a 3.65 mark.

Arciuolo has hits in 12 of his last 13 games and is batting .500 — 26-for-52 — during the stretch with a five-hit game and three three-hit games in addition to Monday’s four-hit night. He is now batting .404 and trails PGCBL leader Chris Givin of Xavier University and the Amsterdam Mohawks by two points.

One of eight DiamondDawgs selected to play in the PGCBL All-Star Game, Arciuolo will be traveling to Albany Wednesday with Fairfield teammate Kevin Radziewicz, Crispino, Mazzio, Turner, Treasure Valley Community College’s Tanner Leenknecht, Ketchmark and the University of New Haven’s David Palmer. DiamondDawgs coach Blake Nation will coach the East Division team.

Trailing 11-4 at Murnane Field, the Blue Sox came back with two runs in the seventh inning and one in the eighth. Arciuolo singled in the ninth inning and scored on a double by Crispino; Mazzio later scored on a wild pitch.

The DiamondDawgs are on the road after the All-Star Game for a game Thursday in Oneonta and a doubleheader Friday in Glens Falls. They return home to Veterans Memorial Park for the weekend, taking on Amsterdam Saturday and Newark Sunday. Eleven of the DiamondDawgs remaining 14 scheduled games are on the road. With Monday’s win, the DiamondDawgs are now 6-9 away from home.