AMSTERDAM - The stars will be out tonight at Shuttleworth Park as the Amsterdam Mohawks host the 2012 edition of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.
The program will include not only the game, but there also will be PGCBL Scout Day activities and a pregame Home Run Derby prior to the 7:05 p.m. game. The rosters were selected by Mohawks coach Keith Griffin and Newark Pilots coach Chris Ebright, who met in the PGCBL championship series last year.
The Pilots won the series after sweeping a doubleheader at Shuttleworth Park.
"The Mohawks are thrilled to host the 2012 PGCBL All Star Game," Mohawks general manager and president Brian Spagnola said in a news release. "As everyone knows, Amsterdam loves baseball and our fans will be thrilled to witness the best of the PGCBL on the Shuttleworth stage."
The festivities will begin at 3:30 p.m. with a 60-yard dash. Griffin's team, which includes 11 of his Mohawks, will take batting practice at 4:15 p.m., while Ebright's team will hit the cage at 4:45 p.m. After both teams take batting practice both teams will take infield and outfield drills, starting at 5:20 p.m. The home run derby is slated to begin at 6:05 with the game's first pitch scheduled for 7:05 p.m.
Eleven of Griffin's Mohawks have been selected to the all star team. Pitchers include Chandler Shepherd, Rocky McCord, Mark Leiter Jr. and Matt Pirro, who suffered an injury to his elbow during his last start and his having an MRI today. Position players named to the all-star team include: Zak Colby, Chase Green and Giuseppe Papaccio. Outfielders Jeff Boehm and Ed Charlton were selected, along with DeMarcus Henderson and Josh Nethaway.
Fact Box
2012 PGCBL All-Star Rosters
Team Ebright
PosNameTeam
P Aaron Casper Mohawk Valley
P John MeansMohawk Valley
P Kole Mickolio Watertown
P James Norwood Cooperstown
P Jonathan Perez Watertown
P Chris RogersNewark
P Mark Scott Newark
PMatt Snyder Albany
P David Sosebee Oneonta
P David Stagg Albany
P James Yacabonis Elmira
CSpencer Brann Elmira
C Chase Griffin Glens Falls
IFZac Johnson Oneonta
IFRoss Kivett Glens Falls
IFJoe Landi Newark
IFBrent Langston Newark
IF Alberto Morales Glens Falls
IF Steven Patterson Elmira
IF Orlando Rivera Oneonta
IF/OF Ben Bostick Newark
IF/OF Morgan Phillips Albany
OF Chris Cruz Mohawk Valley
OF Nolan Gaige Albany
OF Eric Helmrich Mohawk Valley
OF Mark Stuckey Mohawk Valley
OF Donald Walter Watertown
Team Griffin
PosNameTeam
P Jared Cheek Glens Falls
P Bryan ChudyWatertown
P Trevor Lacosse Albany
PSheldon Lee Oneonta
P Mark Leiter Jr. Amsterdam
P Rocky McCord Amsterdam
P Joe Michaud Mohawk Valley
P Matt PirroAmsterdam
PJeremy Rhoades Oneonta
P Raleigh Rushing Cooperstown
P Chandler Shepherd Amsterdam
C Shane Crain Oneonta
C Will Remillard Albany
IF Zak Colby Amsterdam
IF Jordan Enos Watertown
IF Chase Green Amsterdam
IF Tyler Heck Mohawk Valley
IF Giuseppe Papaccio Amsterdam
IF Quinn Pippin Cooperstown
IF Zach Remillard Albany
IF Mike Vigliarolo Glens Falls
IF/OF Demarcus Henderson Amsterdam
IF/OF Josh Nethaway Amsterdam
OFJeff Boehm Amsterdam
OF Ed Charlton Amsterdam
OF Brandon Cipolla Watertown
OF Jacob Hubert Cooperstown
Source: PGCBL
Shepherd is the PGCBL's leading pitcher. He is 6-0 with a 1.12 ERA. He has struck out 46 batters in 45 innings. Right behind him is Leiter, a second-year Mohawk who joined the team early this month. In four starts, Leiter is 3-0 with a 1.08 ERA. He has struck out 29 batters in 25 innings. Also undefeated on the hill for Amsterdam is McCord, sporting an ERA of 1.34 with 39 strikeouts in 40 innings pitched.
Offensively, Colby is the Mohawks' leading hitter and, of late, the team's top clutch hitter with two walk-off hits - both against the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs - in the past week. He is hitting .392 with a home run and 23 RBIs.
Nethaway leads the Mohawks with 26 RBIs.
"For the last ten years, the Mohawks have been the most dynamic collegiate league organization in New York," PGCBL President Jeff Kunion said the release. "Shuttleworth Park has undergone more than $500,000 in renovations and their fan base is the largest in, not just the PGCBL, but in all of New York collegiate baseball."