The Outlaws went into a doubleheader against the Albany Dutchmen yesterday just a half game behind Amsterdam for first place in the East after Saturday’s suspended game against Cooperstown was ruled an official game, and an Outlaw victory. After being ruled a complete game on Saturday, the league initially called it a suspended game because it was first stopped due to lightning. But once the rain came the field was unplayable, and the umpires called the game. Over the weekend the rules committee then got together for a final ruling, and decided to go with the umpires decision of a complete game due to unplayable conditions.

Game One

Outlaws 7, Albany 4

In the first game of the doubleheader against the Albany Dutchmen, which started an hour late due to rain, the Outlaws won behind five solid innings of four hit ball by Michael Cook (Louisiana-Lafayette) as he improved to 3-0 on the year.

The Outlaws struck for three runs in the second inning to get an early lead. Tom Murphy (Buffalo) had a one out double to left and Jordan Poirrier (Louisiana-Lafayette) followed with a walk. After Marc  Perdios (Boston College) walked an out later to load the bases, Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) singled home Murphy and Poirrier. Keeping the two out rally going, Matthew Scruggs (East Tennessee State) knocked in Perdios with a base hit.

With the lead 4-2 in the bottom of the fifth the Outlaws struck for three much needed insurance runs. With one out Murphy walked and was followed by a Poirrier single. With James Young (Barry) at bat both runners moved up on a wild pitch, then scored on Young’s double. Young then came around to score on a single by Perdios.

Taylor Austin (UC San Diego) gave up two runs in the sixth, but shut the Dutchmen down in the seventh to hold on for the Outlaws. The bottom of the Outlaw lineup did a lot of damage, with the 6-9 hitters scoring all seven runs and Murphy and Perdios each having two hits. Leadoff man Derrick Osteen did his part as well, going 2-2 with a walk and 2 RBIs.

Game Two

Albany 5, Outlaws 2

In game two the Outlaws offense scuffled a bit and starting pitcher Brandon Rohde (Washington) struggled, taking the loss to drop to 1-2. He gave up five runs, four earned, in four innings after starting off strong with five strikeouts in the first two innings. That would be his final tally however, and the Outlaws offense never got going to take him off the hook.

Evan Kehoe (UC San Diego) went 2-3 and was the only Outlaw with multiple hits. Derrick Osteen kept his strong night going, reaching base twice with a walk and going 1-3 and a run scored. Brian Denneny (Oklahoma State) and Daniel Marrs (Wake Forest) combined for three scoreless innings of relief of Rohde.

- Jeff Dickson

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

A five run third inning helped propel the Outlaws to a victory over the Amsterdam Mohawks, and with that they are 1 ½ games behind the Mohawks for first place in the NYCBL Eastern Division. Mohawk starting pitcher Sam Kidd (Kentucky) struggled with control, walking seven Outlaw hitters in 2 2/3 innings pitched, but it took a two out double in the third for the Outlaws to break through against the Mohawk hurler.

With one run already scored to tie the game in the third, Jordan Poirrier (Louisiana-Lafayette) hit a three run double to left field. Poirrier would score when Kyle Boudreau (UC Riverside) singled him in to make it a 5-1 ballgame.

The Mohawks scored three runs in the sixth to get back in the ballgame, knocking out winning pitcher Michael Cook (Louisiana-Lafayette). Cook gave up five runs in 5 2/3 innings on seven hits in his first official start of the season. He started an exhibition game against the Newport Gulls on July 2^nd.

Heath Story (Flagler) and Kevin Dickey (UC Riverside) combined on 3 1/3 shutout innings of relief, including 2 from Dickey to pick up his fourth save of the year. Matt Goulas (Louisiana-Lafayette) and Boudreau led the Outlaws with two hits apiece, and Goulas also added two stolen bases.

Amsterdam is back at Damaschke Field tonight to take on the Outlaws at 7:05.

- Jeff Dickson

Oneonta 3, Watertown 0

In game one of a doubleheader at Damaschke Field T.J. Mullins (Barry) went the distance in a seven inning game, shutting out the Watertown Wizards for a 3-0 victory. Mullins struck out six and did not walk a batter while scattering five hits. Matthew Scruggs (East Tennessee State) and Evan Kehoe (UC San Diego) had two hits and an RBI apiece, with Jordan Poirrier (Louisiana-Lafayette) driving in a run while going 1-2.

Oneonta 4, Watertown 2

Tom Nagy (Dominican N.Y.) made his first start for the Outlaws in game two, after just arriving in Oneonta the night before the game. Nagy went five innings while giving up just one run on four hits. He left the game trailing 1-0, with Watertown’s run scored by Patrick Dockendorf (Minnesota State) after he reached on a double in the second inning. Dockendorf scored both Wizard runs in the game.

Heath Storey (Flagler) entered in the sixth and gave up one unearned run to pick up the win thanks to another late rally by the Outlaws.

With two outs in the sixth and James Young (Barry) on first, pinch hitter Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) doubled to right with Matthew Scruggs coming up. Scruggs followed with a double himself to tie the game. Evan Kehoe and Matt Goulas (Louisiana-Lafayette) added RBI singles to make it 4-2.

Kevin Dickey entered in the top of the seventh and sent down the Wizards in order to pick up his third save. In 11 innings this season Dickey has not allowed a run.

With the sweep the Outlaws are alone in second place in the Eastern Division and sit 2 ½ games behind Amsterdam, who will be in town to play the Outlaws each of the next two nights.

- Jeff Dickson

It took another late rally, but with a five run eighth inning the Outlaws pulled out a win over the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs to put themselves in a virtual tie for second place in the Eastern Division of the NYCBL, just percentage points behind Cooperstown.

In a wild eighth inning that included Tim Panetta’s (UConn) third hit and fourth and fifth RBIs of the night, the Outlaws erased what was once a 4-0 deficit in the early innings and took the final lead on a ball that never left the infield.

Down by a run, Matt Goulas (Louisiana-Lafayette) had an infield it to the right side of the infield where second baseman Tyler Townsend (Kentucky) had trouble gathering the ball. Both Panetta and Jarred Clarkson (Lousiville) came around to score on the play ahead of the throw home, with Derrick Osteen then getting thrown out at third to end the inning.

Aaron Stull (Virginia) didn’t make it out of the second inning, giving up four runs in 1 2/3 innings with five walks before giving way to Taylor Austin (UC San Diego). Austin kept the Outlaws in the game, going 4 1/3 innings without walking a batter and giving up three runs. Brian Denneny (Oklahoma State) entered in the seventh and picked up the win going three hitless innings and striking out five.

The wild affair also so the first ejection at Damaschke Field this year, with MV coach Troy Gerlach getting the heave after a reversed a call. Outlaw coach Greg Zackrison argued that a slow roller in the infield hit by Clarkson was fair after he reached and a run scored, but the ball was ruled to have hit Clarkson in the box and was foul. The umpires eventually came together and reversed the call, leading to Gerlach getting his ejection, much to the delight of the Damaschke Field crowd.

Next up is a doubleheader tonight in Oneonta as the Watertown Wizards come to down. The first game will start at 5:00, and both games will be 7 innings.

- Jeff Dickson

Cooperstown 17, Oneonta 4

The Outlaws bounced back after a 17-4 beating at the hands of the Cooperstown Hawkeyes in the first game of a doubleheader to beat the Albany Dutchmen 3-2 in 11 innings at Damaschke Field. A rare away-home doubleheader started almost forty minutes late in Cooperstown due to an adult men’s baseball league game that went into extra innings at Doubleday Field. Things only got worse from there for the Outlaws.

Brandon Rohde (Washington) took the loss, going four innings and allowing seven runs, although just one was earned. The Outlaws committed four errors in the game. Oneonta scored four runs in the eight to make it an 8-4 game before the Hawkeyes scored nine in the bottom of the eight off of Outlaw reliever Mike Klaus (Buffalo).

 Cooperstown scored their runs on 20 hits, including three home runs. Tim Panetta (Connecticut) had the only homer for the Outlaws, his first of the season in his first start.  Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) was 3-3 for Oneonta.

Oneonta 3, Albany 2

After rushing back to Oneonta the Outlaws were ready to play a 6:00 game against the Albany Dutchmen. Whit Mayberry (Virginia) was on the hill for Oneonta and he delivered another strong performance. He went 6 1/3 innings and allowed just one run on six hits and did not walk a batter. He also struck out five. He left with the lead but the Dutchmen tied the game in the eight with a run off of Heath Storey (Flagler).

Sean Campbell (Rutgers) was wild but effective for Albany, going five innings and only giving up two runs despite four walks. Oneonta got their first run of the game in the third on a sacrifice fly by Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) that scored Tom Murphy (Buffalo) who led off the inning with a triple. Tomo Delp (Maryland) brought in Sam Meyer (Pepperdine) in the third on a sac fly after Meyer started off the inning with a double.

Ryan Kapp (Rutgers) homered to left off of Mayberry in the fifth for the first run of the game for Albany. It was the league leading nineteenth home run for the Dutchmen. The tying run was scored by Niko Gomez (Villanova) who led off the eight with a double and eventually scored when Kevin Jackson (Trinity) hit into a 6-4-3 double play.

With the game tied after eight Oneonta went to their closer, Kevin Dickey (UC Riverside). Dickey retired all nine batters he faced, and has yet to allow a run this season in ten innings pitched. With one out in the bottom of the 11^th, Tomo Delp singled to right off of Dutchmen reliever Wes Braun (Illinois). Marc Perdios (Boston College) came in to run for him when Tom Murphy sent a line drive into left center. Perdios made it to third easily and Murphy hustled into second to stretch the hit into a double, which led Albany to intentionally walk James Young to load the bases. After Jarred Clarkson (Lousville) went down swinging, leadoff man Derrick Osteen stepped to the plate. With nowhere to put him, Braun got himself into a three ball count before finally walking Osteen to plate the winning run, much to the delight of the largest crowd at Damaschke Field this season. 

- Jeff Dickson

The Outlaws moved into a second place tie with the Cooperstown Hawkeyes after a 4-3 win over the Glens Falls Golden Eagles last night at Damaschke Field. Nick Umberger (Shippensburg) got the win for the Outlaws, going eight innings giving up three runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out five.

 All three Golden Eagle Runs came in the third inning when Keenan Maddox (Missouri State) singled to score Tommy Cheek (San Diego) and Jeff Melillo (Rutgers) who led off the inning with back to back singles. Umberger allowed just two hits after the third and kept the Outlaws in the game long enough for the offense to make another late rally.

After Matt Goulas (Louisiana-Lafayette) scored a run in the first on a Sam Meyer (Pepperdine) single, the Outlaws went scoreless until the seventh when Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) stretched a base hit into a double with one out. Matthew Scruggs (East Tennessee State) followed with a single to score Osteen and bring the Outlaws within a run.

Tom Murphy (Buffalo) reached on an error with one out in the bottom of the eighth when the newest Outlaw Tomo Delp (Maryland) stepped to the plate. Delp, who just arrived in Oneonta the night before the game, entered in the fourth inning and was already 1-2 before getting his second hit of the night to move Murphy over to third. Marc Perdios (Boston College) followed with a sacrifice fly to left to tie the game, and Delp moved over to second on the throw.

The Golden Eagles went to the bullpen to bring in lefthander Barrett Noirfalise (Missouri State) to face the left-handed hitting Aaron Weimer (UCLA), but Outlaws coach Greg Zackrison went to his bench for pinch hitter James Young (Barry). Young hit a grounder to first base where Ryan Retz (Pima C.C.) bobbled the ball, then rushed his throw to Noirfalise covering first and it got away from the pitcher, allowing Delp to score the go ahead run.

Kevin Dickey (UC Riverside) entered in the ninth for the Outlaws and threw a 1-2-3 inning for his second save, and is yet to allow a run on the year. With the win Umberger improves his record to 2-2. The Outlaws have a doubleheader today with the first game an important one at 1:00 in Cooperstown, then play Albany at 6:00 at home at Damaschke Field.

- Jeff Dickson

Two former Saratoga Phillies have been named to the AA Eastern League All-Star team. Michael Schwimer (Saratoga ’05) is 5-3 with 9 saves and a 3.89 era in 30 relief appearances for the Reading Phillies. In 30 innings pitched he has 52 strikeouts and 14 walks. With Saratoga, Schwimer was 3-1 in 7 appearances, 5 starts, with a 1.66 era.

Darin Mastroianni (Saratoga '06) is hitting .297 with a league high 30 stolen bases on 34 attempts as a center fielder for the New Hampshire Fisher Cats (Toronto). He is also second in the league with 58 runs scored, third with 44 walks and fifth with a .393 on base percentage. In 2006 he led Saratoga with a .348 average and 32 runs scored while going 17 for 20 in stolen base attempts.

Both players will be representing the Easter Division in the game, which will be played on Wednesday, July 14th at Metro Bank Park in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

- Jeff Dickson

A three run bottom of the first inning set the tone as the Amsterdam Mohawks (14-7) defeated the Oneonta Outlaws (10-10) last night in Amsterdam 8-3. A two run home run by Jon Schwind (Marist) was followed by a solo shot off the bat of Matt Conway (Wake Forest). It was the third long ball of the year for both Mohawk batters.

The Outlaws tied the game up in the top of the second, and that 3-3 score help up until another three run inning by the Mohawks in the fifth.  In that second inning for the Outlaws Tom Murphy (Buffalo) led off with a double, then scored three batters later on a double by Jarred Clarkson (Louisville). A single by Derrick Osteen (William & Mary) scored Sam Meyer (Pepperdine) who reached on an infield single. The last run of the inning came on an Evan Kehoe (UC San Diego) sacrifice fly that plated Clarkson.

T.J. Mullins (Barry) struggled a bit for the Outlaws, leaving in sixth inning. It had appeared he had settled down after the rocky first inning, until running into more trouble in the fifth. T.J. Jones (Cincinnati) led off with an infield single when leadoff hitter Mel Rojas Jr. (Wabash Valley CC) laid down a sacrifice bunt. Mullins quickly got to the ball but his throw pulled first baseman Meyer off the bag, allowing Rojas to be safe. After a successful sacrifice from Matt Colantonia (Brown) the middle off the order struck again for the Mohawks. Jon Schwind doubled, Matt Conway singled and Cody Kulp (Shippensburg) hit a sacrifice fly, giving Amsterdam a 6-3 lead. They would tac on a run in the sixth and eighth innings for the final score.

Mullins gave up seven runs, six earned, on ten hits in five innings pitched, and is now 3-1 on the year with a 3.21 ERA. The bottom of the order for the Outlaws did most of the damage, with Sam Meyer and Jarred Clarkson, the 8 and 9 hitters in the order, each going 2-4 with a run scored. At 10-10 the Outlaws are now in fourth place in the East Division of the NYCBL, sitting 3.5 games behind first place Amsterdam. After an exhibition game tonight at home against the Newport Gulls of the NECBL, the Outlaws play Glens Falls at Damaschke Field Saturday night at 7:05 PM.

- Jeff Dickson

Facing Tanner Barron (Trinity), second baseman Jordan Poirrier (Louisiana-Lafayette) homered to right on a full count, the first home run hit at Damaschke Field this season, and Poirrier's first of the season. That gave the Outlaws the lead, but with some help from the Albany defense the Outlaws were able to break the game open. With two outs in the inning Perdios struck out but was able to reach second on a throwing error by Dutchmen catcher Jon Leroux (Northeastern) who had to throw to first after the third strike pitch got away from him.

Later in the inning Goulas came to bat with runners on second and third, and momentarily reached first base on a hit by pitch. Albany argued that the ball hit the bat, and after a conference between the umpires they ruled that was the case. Outlaw coach Greg Zackrison briefly argued before Goulas was sent back to the box. Goulas made the Dutchmen wish he was hit by the pitch, as he sent a line drive over the left field fence for his team leading third home run of the year.

With the win the Outlaws move to 8-7 and remain two games behind East Division leaders Glens Falls, who comes to Oneonta tonight to take on the Outlaws at Damaschke Field at 7 pm.

- Jeff Dickson