LITTLE FALLS, NY – The temperatures were high at Veteran’s Memorial Park on Friday, but inside the gate, the Saugerties Stallions continued to be hotter than the rising mercury.
Cameron Coakley was responsible for three of Saugerties’ five runs on Friday night, and that proved to be the difference in the Stallions’ 5-3 victory over Mohawk Valley. With the win, Saugerties continues to keep pace with the East-leading Amsterdam Mohawks, pulling to within a half game at press time.
Tyler Kelder (Kingston, NY/St. Bonaventure) got the scoring started for the Stallions just three batters in, lacing a ball to right field that would score Cameron Comer (Powell, OH/Virginia). Joel Alvarez (Hainesport, NJ/Barry) tied up the score in the bottom of the inning, hitting into a fielder’s choice that would score Austin Pollack (Harrison, NY/Manhattanville). Pollack got on base on a fielder’s choice as well, extending his on-base streak to 21 games.
Cameron Coakley (Lutz, FL/Stetson) gave the Stallions the lead right back, with another ball hit into right field that would score Dillon Lifrieri (Wilton, CT/Arkansas). They would add to their lead soon after, thanks to yet another ball through the right field gap by Comer to score Derek Ripp (Olathe, KS/Arkansas).
A sacrifice fly by Lifrieri would extend Saugerties’ lead in the fifth. Lifrieri’s fly out to right would bring home Danny Martin (Miami, FL/Stetson) and make the score 4-1 in favor of the Stallions. Drew Fureno (Canajoharie, NY/LeMoyne) would bring the Diamond Dawgs back within two, as an error by the Saugerties third baseman brought him home. Ryan Toohers (Florham Park, NJ/Villanova) brought home another run, with his fly ball to right-center field. That hit would bring home Pollack and cut the lead to one, 4-3 heading into the sixth.
Ripp extended the lead in the top of the seventh, clubbing a ball off the mound and into center field to score Jordan Kozicky (Minneapolis, MN/Minnesota). That would be all the Stallions would need, as Jason Antalek (Beacon, NY/Iona) and Trey Hinkle (Macungie, PA/Bloomsburg) would allow just two hits and three baserunners the rest of the way to put the game away for the Stallions.
Gregory Allard (Averill Park, NY/Stony Brook) picked up the win for Saugerties (14-11), who have won five in a row, while Hinkle picked up the save. Tyler Schoff (Lee Center, NY/Bryant) was saddled with the loss for Mohawk Valley (15-10).
The Diamond Dawgs will go on a brief road trip on Friday, locking horns with the Watertown Rapids in a Central Division doubleheader. They will return to Veteran’s Memorial Park on Saturday for their third straight game against the Rapids and fourth this week. Saugerties will head to Oneonta on Friday for a doubleheader with the Outlaws before a two-game home stand starting on Saturday against the Geneva Red Wings.