The Hornell Dodgers took game one of the NYCBL Championship with a 12-7 victory over the Syracuse Spartans.
The Dodger bats combined for 16 hits as six different players had multiple hits on the night.
Hornell would jump out to an early lead as they scored eight runs in the first inning. After loading the bases the Spartans pitcher would balk which resulted in Michael Young (UMASS Lowell) scoring the first run of the game. Jack Brett (Willamette) then hit a single to score both Jared Kapturasky (Mercyhurst) and Connor Bailey (Willamette).
Andrew McCoy (Benedict) would then stay patient in the box as he forced a walk on a 3-2 count with the bases loaded that scored Chris Cerniglia (Nichols). Ethan Harrison (Trevecca Nazarene) followed that with a double to empty the bases and score three more runs. Young capped the scoring with a single that plated Harrison and made it an 8-0 game.
The Dodgers would continue the scoring in the second inning as Cerniglia singled to bring home Bailey and take the 9-0 lead. The Spartans would get on the scoreboard in the second as they scored two runs followed by one in the third to cut the lead to 9-3.
Bailey would tack on one more Dodger run in the 5th with a sacrifice fly to right field as Harrison scored on the play. Syracuse responded in the bottom half of the inning plating one run themselves to make it a 10-4 ball game.
The Blue and White would then respond themselves in the top of the 6th when Harrison singled to score Cerniglia followed by Young’s sacrifice fly to score Max Werner (Seattle University) and bring their lead to 12-4.
Syracuse would try and mount a rally in the 9th as they scored three runs before flying out to left field to finish the game.
Harrison led the charge at the plate as he recorded two hits while driving in four runs. Bailey also had himself a game as he went 4-5 from the plate with one RBI. Young, Kapturasky, Brett and Cerniglia all had two hits in the game to help fuel the win.
Maddux Minton (Brockport) was tonight’s starter and went 7 strong innings for the Blue and White as he only allowed four earned runs while scattering 8 hits and striking out 2. Lucas Cornell (Alfred State) finished out the game pitching two innings in relief allowing only three runs on 3 hits.
Game two of the best of three Championship will shift to Maple City Park tomorrow with first pitch at 3 p.m. If necessary game three will also be in Hornell with first pitch roughly 30 minutes after the conclusion of game two.
