The Hornell Dodgers won the 2017 NYCBL Championship crown with a 6-0 victory in Game 3 of the championship series vs. the Syracuse Spartans. The Spartans forced a deciding game three with a 6-1 victory in Game 2 earlier in the day.

 

In the deciding Reid Van Scoter (Binghamton) and Michael Bubniak engaged in a pitchers duel for the first half of the game. The Dodgers finally broke the scoreless draw in the 5th when they capitalized on a Spartan error. Sam Mang (Trevecca) delivered a two-out RBI double and Andrew McCoy (Benedict) followed up on the very next pitch with a two-run single to give the Dodgers. 

 

The game remained 3-0 until the bottom of the 8th when the Dodgers were able to add some insurance runs. Jared Kapturasky (Mercyhurst) collected a RBI single and Conner Bailey (Willamette) followed with a RBI double. Bailey came around to score on a throwing error.

 

Van Scoter threw a complete game five-hitter to earn the victory in the deciding game. He walked just two and struck out six including all three hitters in the 9th inning.

 

Mang and Jack Brett (Willamette) both collected a pair of hits for the Dodgers while Edison Mercado and Rocco Leone had a pair of hits for the Spartans.

 

In a wild first game that featured outfield assists, double plays, and pickoffs, the Spartans broke a 1-1 tie with a run in the 7th and put the game out of reach with four runs in the 8th.

 

The Spartans got on board first in the 2nd inning Robert Ballinger connected on a RBI single. The Dodgers answered right back in the bottom half of the inning when Bailey ripped a triple to lead off the inning and came around to score on a wild pitch.

 

In the 5th and 6th inning, the Spartans loaded the bases with one out and Dodger starter Matt Mulhearn was able to induce a 5-2-3 double play to end the threat. 

 

In the 7th, the Spartans were able to finally take advantage of one of their scoring opportunities. Jay Perry delivered a two-out single to left to score Jack Paulson. The play before Kapturasky threw out a Spartan baserunner at the play when he unleashed a cannon of a throw after a single by Paulson (the outfield assist was the third of the game by the Dodgers - McCoy threw out two Spartans at third base earlier in the game).

 

The Dodgers got a runner on in the bottom half of the inning but Joseph Westerman induced a double play to end the threat. In the top of the 8th, the Spartans collected four runs on three hits, two walks, and two hit batsmen to add insurance.

 

Lucas Gregory tossed six innings of five hit ball, allowing just one run, to earn the win while Westerman earned the save with three scoreless innings of relief.

 

Bailey led the Dodgers with 3 for 4 day while Cyrus Senior was one of five Spartans with multiple hits finishing with three.

 

Bailey who collected eight hits in the three game series along with Van Scoter were named the Championship Series co-MVP's.

 

The Dodger organization has now won six league championships in 24 years of play in collegiate summer baseball.