Saturday, July 17

Outlaws 7, Cooperstown 2 (Suspended)

On Saturday the Outlaws were leading the Hawkeyes 7-2 in the seventh when lighting caused a delay. By rule, play cannot resume until a half hour after the last lightning strike.  Because of this there were essentially two delays, but by the time play would have been ready to resume a thunderstorm had moved in, making the field unplayable. At the time the game was called official by the umpires, however according to the league it is suspended. The team is still waiting an official ruling, but as of know the game is in a suspension and will most likely be completed July 29^th, the day before the playoffs are set to begin.

Sunday, July 18

Outlaws 3, MV 2

The Outlaws defeated the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs last night at Damaschke Field to keep pace with the Amsterdam Mohawks who beat Cooperstown earlier in the day. Winning pitcher Nick Umberger (Shippensburg) retired the first eleven hitters he faced before giving up a two out double in the fourth to Matt James (UT San Antonio). James would score on a Tyler Townsend (Kentucky) base hit to tie the game. The Outlaws got an early run in the fourth on an Evan Kehoe (UC San Diego) RBI groundout that scored Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) who led off the inning with the first of his three walks.

The Diamond Dawgs got another run in their next at bat to take a 2-1 lead, but the Outlaws scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. With two outs Kehoe singled up the middle, scoring Jarred Clarkson (Louisville) and Osteen.  With strong pitching from both sides, that would be all the scoring in the game.

Kevin Dickey (UC Riverside) came into the eighth in relief of Umberger to pick up his fifth save of the year. He got induced an inning ending double play to end the eighth, and then had to work out of a little trouble in the ninth. After the first two men reached, however, he struck out the next three to close it out.

With the win the Outlaws remain a game behind Amsterdam for first place in the East, and 1.5 up on Cooperstown for second. Next up for the Outlaws is a doubleheader tonight against the Albany Dutchmen at Damaschke Field. The first game will get underway at 5:00.

-Jeff Dickson