By Dan Lonky @danlonky
ONEONTA, NY – Matt Milburn (Wofford) became the NYCBL’s first pitcher this season to throw two complete-game shutouts as the Oneonta Outlaws (16-10) rolled to a 5-0 victory over the Rochester Ridgemen (9-17) in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Damaschke Field, Thursday night.
Although they had outscored their opponents 39-14 during their recent four-game win streak, the Ridgemen stood no chance against the Outlaws right-hander, as he tossed an absolute gem, allowing only two hits while striking out six. Milburn needed only 97 pitches to get through all nine innings, as he and catcher Josh Treff (Northeastern) were on the same page all night.
“I didn’t shake [Treff] off once tonight, I trusted him, he’s a good catcher back there and it worked out really well,” said Milburn of his catcher.
Milburn worked very quickly and was extremely efficient on the hill, as he threw 65 of his 97 (63%) pitches for strikes. He had good control of all three of his pitches as well, not walking a single Ridgemen batter.
“My changeup was working really well tonight and I had some good fastball command and some pretty good bite on my curveball, but mostly my changeup was my best pitch,” Milburn added.
With the bats, the Outlaws were able to scatter five runs throughout the game against Rochester starter John Patrick Kinney (Lindenwood), who surrendered ten hits through seven innings pitched. Kinney also had problems finding the strike zone, walking three and throwing three wild pitches.
On base seemingly all night (and all season for that matter) was Jake Levine (Brown), who scored three of the Outlaws five runs. Driving him in throughout the entire game was first baseman Heath Holder (Georgia), who went 1-for-3 with three RBI.
In the first inning, after singling and stealing second base, Levine was able to advance to third on one of Kinney’s wild pitches. Holder cashed in the run with a well-struck sacrifice fly to right field. Mitch Hollander (Cortland) would later get in on the action in the fourth inning. After Spencer Duffie (Mercer) stole second base, Hollander lined one into center field, plating the Outlaws second run.
Levine got things going for Oneonta once again in the fifth inning, bunting for a hit and advancing to second on an errant throw by the pitcher Kinney. Holder then came through again, stroking a base hit to center. Holder was thrown out at second trying to stretch his single to a double, but Levine was able to score before Holder was tagged for the third out of the inning.
The Outlaws cleanup hitter would come to the plate in the seventh inning with yet another RBI opportunity, as the bases were loaded with no one out. Holder responded by grounding into a 4-6-3 double play, but Chris Pindar (Oneonta) scored, increasing the Oneonta lead to 4-0. Josh Treff didn’t want the run-scoring to stop there, as he then followed with a single to center field, scoring Levine and giving the Outlaws more insurance.
Rochester failed to get a single runner into scoring position all night, managing only two ground ball base hits, one in the first inning and one in the ninth.
By snapping Rochester’s four-game win streak, the Outlaws now find themselves back in second place in the NYCBL standings, tied with only the Syracuse Jr Chiefs, who split a doubleheader against Sherrill on Thursday. Meanwhile, with their seventeenth loss of the season, the Ridgemen now find themselves tied for dead last with the Niagara Power.
The Outlaws are on the road tomorrow, July 12th, as they take on the lowly Niagara Power (9-17). The Ridgemen, meanwhile, will be at home facing the Sherrill Silversmiths (10-15).
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