Courtesy of HornellDodgers.com
HORNELL, N.Y. — The Hornell Dodgers used timely hitting and solid pitching to defeat the Niagara Power 6-4 in game one of the New York Collegiate Baseball League Western Divisional Series at Maple City Park, Sunday.
The Dodgers got on the board in the second when Hank Morrison (Mercyhurst) and Spencer Scorza (Cornell) singled. After a sacrifice bunt and a ground out, Blake Thomas (Webster) hit a two-out single. Scorza was thrown out at home by Jack Trotman (UMass-Lowell) to end the inning.
In the third, the Dodgers took advantage of a Power error and Thad Johnson (St. Bonaventure) brought in Jimmy Latona (Monroe CC) with a sacrifice fly to center.
Latona made it 4-0 in the fifth inning when he sent a homer onto Adsit Street. His third homer of the season scored Thomas who had led the inning off with a single.
The Power got on the board in the sixth. Jarrett James (Ball State) drew his third walk of the game and came around to score on an RBI double by Caleb Lang (Philadelphia Biblical). Lang’s double was the first hit for the Power in the contest vs. Dodger starter Jordan Accetta (Wofford).
Hornell answered right back in the sixth when Scorza singled home Morrison. Morrison had doubled to lead off the inning. The Dodgers threatened for more but stranded the bases loaded.
In the seventh, Niagara put together a rally. A one-out infield single by Gabriel Sevigny (Olivet Nazarene) and a two-out single by Trotman got things going. James drove them both in with a double to left center and Ivan Acuna (Catawba Valley CC) followed that with an RBI single to cut the Dodger lead to 5-4 and end Accetta’s evening. Jeff Beall (Urbana) got the final out of the inning.
Daniel Twitty (St. Leo) pitched a perfect seventh inning and Beall retired the Power in order in the eighth. In the bottom of the eighth, Scorza led the inning off by being hit by a pitch. After a fielder’s choice and a walk to Jordan Climpson (Cameron), Thomas knocked in an insurance run when his single snuck through the left side of the infield.
Seth Cornell (Houghton) came out of the pen in the ninth looking to earn the save. Sevigny drew a leadoff walk and pinch hitter AJ Hammond (Millersville) singled up the middle to put runners on first and second. Conner Lewis (Monroe CC) then robbed Trotman with a diving catch of his bunt attempt in foul territory. Cornell then recorded a strikeout and induced a pop out to seal the victory.
Thomas finished 3-3 with two RBI while Scorza was 2-3 with an RBI. Morrison was 2-4.
Accetta allowed five hits and four runs in 6.2 innings of work to earn the win. He walked three and struck out four in earning his 10th win of the summer. Beall retired all four batters he faced and Cornell earned the save.
Blake Hohlbein (Huntington) tossed 5.2 innings and allowed four earned runs on eight hits. He walked two and struck out three on the night.
Hornell and Niagara battle in game two on Monday evening at Sal Maglie Stadium.
In the other Western Divisional Series, the Geneva Twins earned a 7-0 victory over the Rochester Ridgemen. In the East, the Syracuse Salt Cats rallied for a 8-5 victory over the Geneva Red Wings while Sherrill defeated Oneonta 8-3.
Leave a Reply