baseball

Tournament Director Tom Turnbull is sticking to "23rd Annual" for the 2023 Rotary Baseball Tournament, even though there have only been 18 champs actually crowned over the two-plus decades since the first game.

Rainouts and two seasons lost to COVID-19 have kept a few names off the championship trophy -- which is new this year (see photo above) after the former trophy filled up with the plaques of previous winners.

Notre Dame's coach, Rick Rapone, at Tuesday's Rotary Club meeting in Batavia, called it the premier tournament in the area that every local baseball player is excited to compete in.

The first pitch Saturday is at 11 a.m. with the battle of the Blue Devils, Batavia vs. Attica.  Game 2 is at 2 p.m. when two hot teams face each other for the second time this season -- Oakfield-Alabama vs. Notre Dame.  Notre Dame is a pitching powerhouse, and the Hornets pack a lot of offensive punch. The last time these two teams met, Notre Dame prevailed.

The championship game is tentatively scheduled for 7 p.m. on Saturday.  However, if Attica beats Batavia, the game will be played at 2 p.m. on Sunday because Attica has its senior prom on Saturday night.

Admission is $5 for an adult all-day pass and $3 for a student or senior all-day pass. All proceeds from the tournament will help benefit Batavia Rotary Club charities.

Press Release:

The 23rd Annual Batavia Rotary Club High School Tournament will take place Saturday, May 5th, at Dwyer Stadium.

Attica will play Batavia in the first game at 11 a.m., followed by Oakfield-Alabama vs. Notre Dame at 2 p.m. 

The winners of those two contests will play in the championship game under the lights starting at 7 p.m.

Admission is $5 for an adult all-day pass and $3 for a student or senior all-day pass. All proceeds from the tournament will help benefit Batavia Rotary Club charities.

Photo: File photo by Howard Owens

 

Colton Yasses threw five innings of one-hit ball as Oakfield-Alabama beat Elba on Saturday 13-0.

Brayden Smith went 3-3 with four RBIs, scoring three runs. Aiden Warner was 2-3 with two runs scored. David Schnaufer was 1-2 with a walk and five RBIs. Austin Pangrazio was 2-3 with a run scored.

The Hornets are 8-1.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more, click here.

There's one team left in Section V that is undefeated in the 2023 baseball season.  That team is Notre Dame, at 9-0.

While the Irish offensive has piled up runs, the pitching has been phenomenal, with no earned runs allowed all season. Overall, only five opposing runners have scored against Notre Dame over 54 innings of play. The pitchers have fanned 111 batters.

On Saturday, Bryceton Berry threw a perfect game to pick up his fourth win of the season. 

In the past three games, the Irish pitchers have tossed a no-hitter and a one-hitter.

Saturday's win came over Alexander, 8-0. 

The Fighting Irish picked up wins on Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, the team beat Geneseo 11-1.

Jaden Sherwood tossed a complete-game one-hitter, notching 12 Ks and allowing one walk.

Offensively on Frixay:

• Ryan Fitzpatrick, 2-3, two RBIs, two runs scored
• Bryceton Berry, 2-3, two RBIs two runs scored
• Jaden Sherwood, 2-,4 two RBIs one run scored

Submitted photos and information.

For the second time in his career, on Tuesday, Notre Dame's Ryan Fitzpatrick tossed a no-hitter, striking out nine over five innings.

The Fighting Irish beat Attica 10-0.

It was the fourth straight shutout for Notre Dame, and the Irish pitchers are working on a string of 25 consecutive scoreless innings.  The staff has surrendered only one run over 35 innings, and that one run was unearned.

Jordan Welker had two RBIs, a double and also scored three runs. Chase Cummings had two RBIs on a single. Hayden Groff was 2-2 with a single and a double, and 3 runs scored.  Jimmy Fanara was 2-3 with a double and a triple.  

Top photo: Submitted. Photos below by Pete Welker.

Brayden Smith tossed a five-inning no-hitter and was 3-3 at the plate with three RBIs and four runs scored as part of a dominating win by Oakfield-Alabama over Holley on Friday.

The Hornets banged out 19 hits and won 28-0 to move to 7-0 on the season while Holley falls to 0-4.

Aiden Warner was 2-3 with four RBIs and five runs scored. David Schufer was 2-3 with three RBIs. Colton Yasses, 2-4, three runs scored, and Brenden Wescott 2-4.

Thirteen players collected hits for O-A.

Smith K'd 13.  Only one hitter reached base on an error.

Submitted photo.

Brodie Hyde and Colton Yasses combined to strike out 12 Trojans over six innings to help lead Oakfield-Alabama to a 13-3 win over Alexander (1-2) on Thursday.

The Hornets are now 6-0 to open the season.

David Schnaufer drove in three runs for O-A, going 2-4.  He had O-A's only multi-hit game. Brayden Smith was 1-3 with three RBIs. Hyde collected a hit and two walks, scoring all three times he reached base.  Aiden Warner also scored three runs, and Brenden Wescott scored twice.

Anthony Auricchio was 1-3 for Alexander, driving in two runs.

Photos by Kristin Smith. For more game photos, click here.

Oakfield-Alabama remains undefeated in baseball after beating Akron on Saturday, 10-7.

The 4-0 Hornets were led by Kyle Porter and Aiden Warner, who each went 3-4, scoring twice and driving in two runs apiece.

Colton Yasses was 2-4 with a run scored. Davi Schnaufer was 2-4 with a run scored and an RBI.  Shaun Alexander was 2-3 with a run scored and two RBI.

Brodie Hyde picked up the win, taking over in the first inning after Yasses faced only one batter, giving up a hit.  Hyde went six innings, giving up 10 hits and seven runs. Porter pitched an inning and struck out two while not letting a man reach base.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

Oakfield-Alabama improved to 3-0 to start the baseball season with a 10-1 win over Pembroke (2-2) on Friday.

David Schnaufer collected three hits for the Hornets and drove in three runs. Kyle Porter had two hits and an RBI.

Colton Yasses got the win going 5 2/3 an inning, giving up three hits, three walks, and striking out nine. Schnaufer finished the game, pitching 1 1/3 innings of hitless ball.

Photos by Kristin Smith.

Nolan Sparks 0.22 regular season ERA, along with a 5-1 record, placed him at the top of the class in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

The Muckdogs' ace was named Pitcher of the Year for the 2022 season after helping Batavia win the Western Division crown.

Sparks led the league in ERA and was second in wins. 

With a post-season win, Sparks was 6-1 for the year with a 0.38 ERA.  He started nine games, picked up a save, tossed 41 2/3 innings, had 51 strikeouts, and gave up 12 walks and 23 hits.

In seven starts, Sparks didn't surrender a single earned run and in his other two starts, he surrendered only one run.

Sparks is from Aurora, Colo., where he was valedictorian at Cherokee Trail High School. He is entering his junior year at the University of Rochester.

Photo by Howard Owens.

In battle of two great teams the Muckdogs came up short on their quest for a PGCBL title last evening at Dwyer stadium.

In the third inning, the Mohawks took advantage of Muckdogs errors and grabbed a 3-0 lead.

That drove frustration on the West Division champions' bench through most of the game and the team struggled to right the ship.

The Mohawks added another run in the seventh and three runs in the eighth inning to take a 7-0 lead.

In the bottom of the eighth inning, a bit of spark came when Jerry Reinhart got a single RBI to left field, bringing home Levis Aguila.

Tyler Cannoe bopped a home run in the bottom of the ninth to make the game 7-2 Amsterdam, and that became the final score. 

With the crowd, community, and fans supporting the team throughout the season the owner Robbie Nichols was greatly appreciative.

Many fans and supporters of the game sent positive notes and remarks from the stands after the game.  Players exchanged hugs, positive words and memories will not be forgotten during the season.

A message from the Muckdogs organization was on Twitter today and can be read here.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Batavia Muckdogs started out Wednesday with great home vibes and three runs on two doubles in the third inning to take a 3-0 lead.

Mohawks scored a homerun in the fourth inning to bring Batavia’s lead to two.

Bottom of the fifth, a costly error for the Mohawks allowed Tyler Cannoe to reach first, and Kyle Corso to come home. That brought made it 5-1 for the Dogs.

Fleming scored his second homerun of the playoffs and brought in Alex Torres, and a lead for the Dogs 7-1 in the sixth inning.

An RBI double for Levis Aguila scored for Daniel Burroway, putting Muckdogs in the eighth. With no change in the ninth, Batavia won 8-1 to force a game three of the PGCBL championship round, which was to begin at 8 p.m.

Winning pitcher Julian Pichardo pitched six innings and allowed only one run.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Batavia Muckdogs faced the Utica Blue Sox for the PGCBL West Division Championship Game on a beautiful Monday evening at Dwyer Stadium.

Both teams started off strong through the first opening innings.

Kyle Corso hit an RBI triple to bring in Josh Leadem, putting the Muckdogs on the scoreboard first, 1-0 in the bottom of the 3rd.

In the next inning, two men reach and Mitch Fleming hits a three-run homer deep over the leftfield wall, Dogs are up 4-0.

In the sixth, Levis Aguila smacks an RBI single and the Muckdogs now lead the Blue Sox 5-0. 

Moments later at home plate on an odd play Caleb Rodriguez is walked, which brings home Abner Benitez.

From there, the Muckdogs held Utica in check to secure a 6-0 victory.

Jackson Murphy gets the co-player of the game with seven shutout innings and seven Ks.  Mitch Fleming was 1 for 4 with one run, and three RBIs.

The Muckdogs advance to the championship round where they will play Game 1, of a three-game series, away today against the Amsterdam Mohawks at 6:45 p.m.

Game 2 will be home at Dwyer Stadium on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. If necessary, Game 3 will start at 7:30 p.m.

 Tickets for Wednesday’s Championship game series go on sale at 9 a.m. today.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Nolan Sparks put in 6 1/3 strong innings in the Muckdog's first-round playoff game against Elmira on Sunday, and the offense brought the lumber, leading to a 12-3 victory for the hometown team.

Sparks (top and second photos), a U of R junior, K'd six, surrendered only one earned run and only four hits to pick up his sixth win of 2022 and lower his ERA to 0.38.

Daniel Burroway and Alex Torres each had two RBIs.

The Muckdogs entered post-season play atop the Western Division over Utica by 3.5 games with a 30-15 record.

Manager Joey Martinez attributes the team's success both to player recruitment and the maturity of his players.

"They are a bunch of professionals," Martinez said. "Though they are not professionals yet, I think these guys are. They go about their business every day. They don't get too high, don't get too low. They are very steady-eddy. That's the way we've been playing all year. They have been pretty much very consistent. That's how these guys are, they're super consistent in everything they do -- their work ethic, the way they approach the game."

And they all get along.

"They're a tighter team than last year. These guys really love each other. Every time you have a culture like that, it breeds success."

The Muckdogs play for the Western Division championship against Utica at Dwyer tonight at 7 p.m. 

Photos by Howard Owens To view more photos or purchase prints, click here.

Manager Joey Martinez.

Last evening the Batavia Muckdogs fell to the Niagara power 6-4.  On Thursday they clinched 1^st place to win the West Division for the first time being in the PCGBL.

A 3-0 early lead in the second and third inning put the Power on top. Brian Fry hit a RBI in the fourth to bring in Dallas Young.  Dogs down by two.

Niagara added one in the fifth to lead most of the game 4-1.  The Power added two in the 9^th where it was 6-1.

Bottom of the 9^th the Muckdogs bounce back with a walk-in run.  A score by Alex Torres and Vincent Grazioplene bring the Muckdogs down by two 6-4 with two outs remaining.

Dogs run out of time on the clock with the final out on team photo night.

Muckdogs final regular season game is tonight vs. Elmira at 7pm.

Playoff tickets for Sunday’s home game versus a team yet to be determined starts at 4pm at Dwyer Stadium.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

Batavia Muckdogs played rival Jamestown Tarpskunks last evening at Dwyer Stadium following a rain out non-league game versus Cortland Monday night.

Top of 2^nd Brandon Lane scores on error at second base to give the Tarpskunks a 1-0 lead.  Bottom of 3^rd Muckdogs Kenny Dodson comes home on a successful double steal to tie the game 1-1.

The remaining of the game remained scoreless until Batavia loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9^th with no outs.  Jerry Reinhart is at the plate.  After four straight ball pitches, Jerry earned a walk off walk and Muckdogs earn their eighth win in a row to remain 3.5 games in first place in the west division ahead of Utica.

Next game is tonight at Niagara Power, game time 5:30pm. 

Next home game is tomorrow night at 7pm versus Elmira.

To view or purchase photos, click here.

Photos by Steve Ognibene

With a doubleheader sweep on Thursday -- and a loss by Utica -- the Batavia Muckdogs tightened their hold on first place in the Western Division of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

The 22-10 Muckdogs are now 1.5 games ahead of Utica (22-13).

Batavia beat Geneva 8-1 and 7-4 while Utica lost to Watertown 6-4.

In the first game, Nolan Sparks, a junior at the University of Rochester, picked up his fifth win of the season, becoming the first Muckdog with that distinction. His .027 ERA leads the league.

Brian Fry, of Medina, continued his torrid hitting (.394 on the season) going 2-3 and scoring twice. Daniel Burroway also had two hits and scored a run and knocked in a run. Trey Bacon matched that stat line and Kyle Corso smacked a triple, driving in three runs.

In the nightcap, Batavia's Tyler Prospero improved to 4-1 with an ERA of 3.85 giving up only two runs over six innings of work. 

Josh Leadem picked up three hits and scored twice.  Fry once again got two hits. Bacon and Corso each had two hits.

With a 5-3 win over Elmira on Wednesday, Batavia Muckdogs moved into first place, by percentage points, in the Western Division of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League.

At 20-10, the Muckdogs' winning percentage is .667. Utica is 22-12 for a percentage of .643.

In the win, tall Texan Daniel Burroway hit his first home run of the season. He had two RBIs. Medina's Brian Fry was 2-4, raising his season average to .379. Tyler Cannoe, hitting .330 on the year, was 1-3. Columbia University sophomore Kyle Corso, hitting .291, was 2-4. 

Jack Nielsen went five innings and gave up seven hits and three runs. Aidan Cooney allowed five base runners, three hits and two walks, but no runs to pick up the win. Julian Pichardo pitched two scoreless innings to get the win.

Five Muckdogs were named to the PGCBL All-Star team for the Western Division.

• Catcher – Levis Aguila
• Infield – Tyler Cannoe
• Infield – Brian Fry
• Pitcher – Josh Milleville
• Pitcher – Nolan Sparks

The league will not play an All-Star game this season.

Top photo: File photo of Muckdog's all-star Brian Fry.