AMSTERDAM - Getting runners on base was not a problems Sunday night for the Amsterdam Mohawks.
They managed to do it in every inning and loaded the bases three times.
However, getting those runners across the plate against the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs was a different story.
Twice during the game, Zak Colby, the Mohawks' leading hitter came up with bases loaded but could not get the clutch hit.
He was not going to let it happen a third time.
Colby got a third chance to hit with bases loaded, this time with the game tied at five with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.
The Faulkner University (Alabama) senior delivered a single through the right side, scoring Jeff Limbaugh to give the league-leading Mohawks the 6-5 Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League victory.
"The last time we played them [Tuesday] I also had a walk-off," Colby said. "I was taking the same approach I have all year, thinking fastball. The first one he threw me was in, the next one I sat on and got it."
Colby said it was frustrating for the team stranding 16 baserunners.
"I think I had at least eight," he said. "It is frustrating. I was seeing the ball well but just mis-hitting. We are a great hitting team and don't leave runners on base. It is frustrating. We were pushing a little but it paid off in the long run."
Amsterdam coach Keith Griffin agreed it was frustrating not getting the runs home.
"The thing that was frustrating me was we were swinging at the wrong pitches," he said. "We're taking the good ones and swinging at the bad ones. We are backwards in our thinking right now. I am going to look at some things tonight and see if we can get this thing fixed. When everybody was swinging really well we did a great job. We need to get back to that and get ready for the playoffs. We are not worried about who is not here, that doesn't matter. We have plenty of guys here, just the guys who are here have to get better."
The injurey-plagued Mohawks lost two more players - infielder Chase Green and pitcher Matt Pirro - to injury Saturday night in a 12-2 loss to the Glens Falls Golden Eagles.
Ed Charlton started the game on a positive note, leading off the bottom of the first with a single to extend his hitting streak to 23 games. Charlton advanced to third before being stranded there.
The Diamond Dawgs broke through for the first runs of the game in the top of the fourth.
Jack Morrow broke the scoreless tie with a lead-off home run over the left-field fence off Amsterdam starter Taylor Martin. Mark Stuckey drew a one-out walk, stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error. Stuckey broke for home as Fonda-Fultonville graduate Tyler Hall pushed a bunt down the third base line for an RBI single and a 2-0 Mohawk Valley lead.
The Mohawks could not answer the Diamond Dawgs' score in the bottom of the fourth.
With momentum on its side, Mohawk Valley put a third run on the board in the top of the fifth.
David Del Grande delivered a one-out single to left, stole second and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Eric Helmrich hit a high chopper down the third baseline and beat the throw across the diamond for an RBI single and a 3-0 Mohawk Valley advantage.
Amsterdam threatened in the bottom of the fifth when Charlton led off with a double before Colby joined him on base with a one-out walk.
Charlton was in full sprint from second when Jeff Boehm singled to right field. However, the throw to the plate by Diamond Dawgs' right fielder Chris Cruz was on the money to get Charlton and keep the shut out in tack.
Amsterdam broke through for its first run on the game in the bottom of the sixth.
Mayfield-graduate D.J. Hoagboon singled up the middle, and Jeff Limbaugh was hit by a pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Matt MacDowell singled to short left field to load the bases before Charlton hit a hard grounder to shortstop that Hall bobbled but recovered to make the play at second for the second out, but allowing Hoagboon to score, putting the score at 3-1.
Charlton stole second before Giuseppe Papaccio worked the count for a walk to again load the bases.
Diamond Dawgs' starting pitcher Eddie Fitzpatrick enticed Colby to pop the ball up in foul territory where Tyler Heck made the play for the third out.
Mohawk Valley tacked on another run in the top of the eighth.
As a steady rain began to fall Jonathan Scott opened the inning with a triple to right and scored on a wild pitch to build the Diamond Dawgs advantage to 4-1.
Amsterdam broke through for a big inning in the bottom of the eighth.
Limbaugh led off with a walk before MacDowell lined a hard shot to Hall at short. Limbaugh and Papaccio drew back to back walks to load the bases. Jeff Boehm worked the count for a bases loaded walk, scoring Limbaugh to cut the Diamond Dawgs lead to 4-2.
Scott Heath came on to pinch hit for Josh Nethaway and delivered a two out three-RBI double to left field to put the Mohawks ahead 5-4.
Mohawk Valley rallied back with Cruz doubling to left and Del Grande reach base after being hit by a Chase Williamson pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Cruz scored to tie the game at five on Eric Helmrich's sacrifice fly.
"I wanted to go to Chase early but I thought Taylor really threw the ball well we just didn't help him much," Griffin said. "Then we got to Chase and he wasn't typical Chase tonight. They scored runs in the eighth and the ninth off him. He has bailed us out a lot, but this time our batters bailed him out, which is nice."
The Mohawks went to work against Mohawk Valley reliever Sal Lisanti in the bottom of the ninth.
Limbaugh drew a one-out walk and advanced to second on MacDowell's bunt single down the third base line. Papaccio was hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs, setting up Colby for his game-winning hit.
With the victory, the Mohawks improved to 30-9 on the season and remain one win away from claiming the PGCBL regular season title.
They will travel to play Albany tonight before hosting the PGCBL all-star game Tuesday night at Shuttleworth Park.
Amsterdam 6, Mohawk Valley 5
Mohawk Valley000 210 011 - 5 10 1
Amsterdam000 001 041 - 6 10 2
Fitzpatrick, Morton (7), Casper (8), Lisanti (9) and Scott; Martin, Williamson (7) and MacDowell.