LITTLE FALLS - The Amsterdam Mohawks scored seven of their nine runs in the fifth and sixth innings to post a 9-4 win over the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs in a Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League game Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Park.
The Mohawks (14-3 overall) posted their third win in a row and have now won 13 of their last 14 games. Amsterdam also maintained a three-game lead over the Oneonta Outlaws in the PGCBL standings.
The Mohawks carried a 2-1 lead into the fifth inning on the strength of an unearned run in the first and a Chase Green (SIU Edwardsville) solo home run in the second off of Mohawk Valley starter John Means (Fort Scott C.C.).
Demarcus Henderson (Miss. State) began what turned into a three-run surge in the fifth by reaching on an error and then he scored on a D.J. Hoagboon (UAlbany/Mayfield) RBI double. A second Mohawk Valley error in the inning allowed both Hoagboon and Ed Charlton (NJIT) to record Amsterdam's fourth and fifth runs of the night.
The sixth inning saw the Mohawks pull away with four runs on four walks, three hit batsmen, a wild pitch and one Mohawk Valley error. Hoagboon and Charlton each received free passes with the bases loaded to force home Amsterdam runs and Evan Stephens (Wake Forest) was plunked by Mohawk Valley reliever Hassan Evans (Herkimer County C.C.) with the bases loaded to force home another score. The rally ended after Charlton dashed home on a two-out wild pitch to push the Mohawks' lead to 9-1.
While the Amsterdam offense accounted for nine runs on seven hits, four Mohawks pitchers combined on a five-hitter. Starter Connor Kaden (Wake Forest) struck out six over five innings and allowed just one run on two hits.
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Scott Heath (Maine) added two shutout frames of middle relief. Jeff Boehm (Kentucky) and Kevin Archbold (UAlbany) each tossed one inning to close out the win.
Offensively, six Amsterdam batters recorded at least one hit topped by lead-off man Charlton who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, one RBI and one walk. Green and Henderson each tallied twice for the Mohawks and Hoagboon drove in two runs.
Mohawk Valley's Means suffered his second loss. He struck out seven over 4.1 innings but allowed five runs, just one of which was earned, on six hits.
Taylor Wright (Brown) was the best reliever for the DiamondDawgs. He held Amsterdam scoreless for 2 1/3 innings and fanned three.
Jack Morrow (Young Harris) hit a solo home run in the fourth inning for the only run allowed by Kaden. Morrow finished with two hits and Fonda-Fultonville graduate Tyler Hall added a two-run double in the eighth for Mohawk Valley.
Hall's double was part of a three-run eighth inning for the DiamondDawgs. Jeff Boehm ended any hope of a Mohawk Valley comeback when he struck out Mohawk Valley's David Del Grande (Sacramento State) with runners on the corners to end the rally and the inning.
The Mohawks return to action tonight against the Albany Dutchmen at Bob Bellizzi Field in the Christian Plumeri Sports Complex. Game time is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
The next home game at Shuttleworth Park is Thursday when the Mohawks host the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs at 7:05 p.m. Thursday night also is free ice cream night and free bike night sponsored by Assemblyman George Amedore and Smitka Brothers Route 67 Cycle Works.
People can listen to every Mohawks home game and select road games throughout the 2012 season at www.ustream.tv/channel/mohawksradio.
Amsterdam 9, Mohawk Valley 4
Amsterdam110 034 000 - 9 7 4
Mohawk Valley000 100 030 - 4 5 4
WP - Connor Kaden (1-1); LP - John Means (1-2).