The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs played host to the Watertown Rams Saturday night at Veteran’s Memorial Park for its Perfect Game Collegiate League (PGCBL) home opener after rain dampened the start of the season the last few days. The DiamondDawgs won the home opener by a final 4-0 score.
Jared Dye (University of Louisiana Monroe) took the hill for the DiamondDawgs while Tanner Rahauser (Millersville) was the Watertown hurler. Both pitchers battled as the first hit of the game didn’t come until the top of the fifth when J.J Wagner (Pacific) singled to centerfield. The DiamondDawgs jumped out to score first in the bottom of the fifth after Jordan Serena (Columbia) reached on an error by the third baseman to end the no hit bid and then Jordan Friend (Alabama A&M) blasted a 2-run homerun. Jared Dye ran into his first trouble in the sixth inning when he loaded the bases but was able to work his way out of the jam. The Rams loaded the bases again in the seventh but again the DiamondDawgs were able to work themselves out of the inning. The DiamondDawgs added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth when Willie Shaw (William & Mary) pounded in a 2-run single and the Dawgs took a 4-0 lead.
Jared Dye picked up the win in his six inning performance in which he had seven strikeouts, four bases on balls and allowed just one hit while Rahauser got the loss in his 7 2/3 innings of work allowing five hits and a homerun. Watertown’s offense was limited to J.J Wagner single in the fifth and Brad Rush (St. John Fisher) double in the eighth. Tyler Bray (ULM) pitched two innings for the Dawgs giving up a hit, hitting two batters and recording three strikeouts, Patrick Michon (Texas A&M) worked an inning walking one and striking out one.
The Dawgs were led offensively by third baseman Willie Shaw who was 2 for 4 with two RBI, Jordan Serena scored the first run of the game and Jordan Friend was 2 for 3 with a single, a homerun, an RBI and two runs scored.
The DiamondDawgs return home to Veterans Memorial Park on Monday, June 10, 2013 for a 7:05pm contest against the Glens Falls Golden Eagles