By Kevin Smith
WEBSTER, NY — The Rochester Ridgemen hung in there to notch a victory.
Ridgemen designated hitter Joshua Davis (Whitworth) delivered the game winning hit and RBI as Rochester wins in walk-off fashion in extra innings 3-2 over the Oneonta Outlaws in New York Collegiate Action Thursday Night at Basket Road Field.
Before Davis, catcher Taylor Empkey (Eastfield) set it up with a leadoff triple. But this was no ordinary triple.
Empkey’s hit was a little floater to right that was just out of the reach of Outlaws righfielder Spencer Duffie (Mercer). The ball would go all the way to the warning track which led to Empkey’s three-bagger.
That would bring Davis to the plate. On the first pitch he saw, the lefty batter scorched a line drive run-scoring single to center to bring in Empkey and bask in the game winning victory.
“We finally came through with a big hit,” Ridgemen Coach Taylor Hargrove said. “It’s nice to that W.”
The Ridgemen snapped a six-game losing streak in the process with this win.
“It was great our team stuck through this game,” designated hitter Joshua Davis said. “I saw a first pitch fastball and attacked it right away to get the big hit.”
A big part of the eventual win was the phenomenal pitching performance Rochester starting pitcher Dwayne Snider (Texas Lutheran).
Snider went nine innings, allowing two runs on six hits while striking out five batters. From the last out of the top of the fifth to the first out of the ninth, Snider retired 11 Outlaws in a row.
Snider continually stifled the Outlaws offense and in the eighth inning only threw four pitches.
“Snider threw one heck of a game,” Coach Hargrove added. “He (Snider) threw 88 pitches going into the ninth , which led to the lead lost, but luckily we got the W.”
Davis finished the game with good numbers at the plate. The DH went 3-for-5 with two runs batted in and a walk.
This is Rochester’s first win since June 14 against the Wellsville Nitros at home. It is also their second win at The Basket this season.
“This W is just what we needed to get back on the right track,” Coach Hargrove added.
The game marked Oneonta’s first trip to Basket Road Field since the 2011 NYCBL Championship series when the Outlaws took on the then Webster Yankees. Oneonta swept the championship series that year.
With the loss Oneonta falls to 6-6. The Outlaws are two games out of first place in an NYCBL log jam that sees seven teams divided by just a pair of contests.
Oneonta returns home to take on the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs (8-5). A 7 p.m. first pitch is scheduled at Damaschke Field.
Rochester hosts Hornell (4-7) Friday night for a 7 p.m. start at Basket Road.
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