Sports

The Muckdogs (12-11) got an early 5-1 lead and were able to hold on against a tough Mahoning Valley (15-8) team for the win.

Batavia’s big inning came in the 3rd when D’Marcus Ingram, Devin Goodwin and Alan Ahmady all singled to load the bases.  Xavier Scruggs followed with a double to plate two.  Ryde Rodriguez kept things going with another two-RBI double in the next at-bat.  Rodriguez later came home himself on a single by Beau Riportella.

The Scrappers added two of their own in the 5th and another in the 7th but that was all they could muster.

Kevin Siegrist went four innings in the start with five hits, one run and two strikeouts.  Josh Squatrito (1-1, 1.74) picked up the win in his one and 2/3 innings of relief work.  He let up two hits while striking out two.  Newcomer Joeseph Kelly got his first save, pitching a scoreless 9th.

Goodwin and Ahmady both finished 2-for-4, each with a run scored.

The rubber match between the two teams is tomorrow night. Game time is 5:05.

Friday night, in the bottom of the fifth inning, Batavia Muckdogs infielder Alan Ahmady smashed a home run over The Batavian's right field promotional sign.  The opposite field shot from the right-handed slugger made the game an especially memorable one for Jacoby Miller of Albion.  Miller was the lucky fan that night to have his name drawn in The Batavian's Fifth Inning Home Run Contest.  He won $250, which he picked up at The Batavian's office this afternoon.  We also presented him with an autographed baseball from Ahmady.

Ahmady, from Fresno Calif. (my parents and a brother live just a couple of hours south in the same San Joaquin Valley in Bakersfield), is one of the Cardinals top prospects.  Maybe some day that autographed ball will be worth more than $250.

The home run was Ahmady's first as a professional player (just to be clear, the autographed ball is not the one he hit over the sign -- I don't know what happened to that ball -- hopefully it was retrieved and given to Ahmady for his own collection).

Miller's father, Kevin, said Friday night, "This is something he will never forget."  Today, Kevin Miller told me he and both his sons are huge baseball fans and they attend many Muckdogs games.

Batavia's (11-8) pitching staff combined for 13 strikeouts on the night while Auburn had two costly errors to get the Muckdogs back on the winning track after a three game slide.

Batavia's big inning came in the 4th as they scored three runs to go up 3-2.  Devin Goodwin singled and advanced to second on a throwing error and was moved to third when Alan Ahmady reached on a base hit.  Two batters later, Ryde rodriguez reached safely on a force attempt while another error allowed Goodwin to come home and Ahmady to advance to second. Another single by Niko Vazquez loaded the bases before Ivan Castro hit a two RBI base hit to center field.

Justin Edwards started the game out right on the mound going three innings with two runs, four hits, one walk and five strikeouts. Kevin Siegrist followed him to get the win in three innings with two runs, four hits, one walk and three strikeouts. After that, Josh Squatrito picked up his first hold and LaCurtis Mayes picked up his first save on the season.

Goodwin, Vazquez, Castro and Scruggs all went 2-for-4 on the night with Scruggs sending one over the fence for his third homerun on the season.

The Pinckney Division remains the same with all the top teams getting wins tonight.  Batavia sits tied in 2nd place with Williamsport one game behind Mahoning Valley.  They head to State College Tuesday to take on the Spikes who are close behind in 3rd place, just two games behind the leader.

Batavia (9-5) went up 2-0 in the bottom of the 1st and never looked back as they shutout Jamestown (5-10) 12-0.

Devin Goodwin singled in his first at bat before Xavier Scruggs hit one out of the park to start off the night.Three two-out runs in the 3rd kept things going.  Alan Ahmady singled and was followed by a Scruggs walk.  Ryde Rodriguez placed a ball far down the first base side on a two-run triple.  He then came in when Luis De La Cruz reached on an error by the Jamestown shortstop Chase Austin.

 The Muckdogs had a big five-run 5th to cement their victory.  The inning started off with a solo homerun by Ahmady.  Scruggs and Rodriguez then singled and walked, respectively, and De La Cruz came up with a RBI base hit.  Later in the inning, Ryan Jackson walked to load the bases before D’Marcus Ingram doubled on a line drive to center to clear the bags.

Scott Schneider got the start, going an effective three innings with three hits and four strikeouts.  Eric Fornataro (2-0) followed him for the win in four innings of work with just one hit, one walk and three strikeouts.  LaCurtis Mayes shut down the Jammers in the 9th, striking out two while only allowing one walk.

Batavia moves on to face Auburn at home tomorrow night.

Contrary to a report in another media outlet, there are still tickets available for the Batavia Muckdogs game tomorrow, July 4th.

Traditionally, the Muckdogs July 4th game, with fireworks, is the best attended game of the season, but don't let the inaccurate report of no seats being available keep you from the ballpark.

That said, you might want to get to Dwyer ASAP to reserve your seats.

Catcher Ivan Castro homered and Xavier Scruggs picked up two-RBI to lead the Muckdogs to a 8-2 victory over Jamestown Thursday night.

In a game in which Batavia notched only six hits while scratching out 8 runs, Ryde Rodriguez also contributed two singles.

The winning pitcher was Michael Blazek (2-0), who tossed 5 2/3 of scoreless ball in relief.

Batavia, now 8-5, is in second place in the Pinckney division, a half game behind Williamsport.

The Muckdogs host the Jammers tonight at 7:05 p.m. at Dwyer Stadium. Auburn is in tomorrow night for a 7:05 p.m. game.

Both games will be followed by fireworks.

The Batavia Muckdogs remain a mere percentage point ahead of Mahoning Valley in the Pinckney division after splitting a double header with the Williamsport Crosscutters on Monday.

Batavia took the first game 5-1 as Matt Carpenter and Ryde Rodriquez continued to swing hot bats, each picking up a pair of RBIs.

Devin Goodwin also had two hits from the lead off spot while Xavier Scruggs continues putting together a good start to the season with a double and an RBI.

San Diego native Deryk Hooker pitched five innings giving up four hits and no runs to pick up his first win of the season.

In the second game, Crosscutters' pitching held the Muckdogs to only five hits, with only D'Marcus Ingram notching a multi-hit game. The Muckdogs dropped the nightcap 4-3, with Joshua Squatrito taking the loss -- his first of the season.

Squatrito pitched one and a third inning giving up two runs, but only one of those was earned. 

San Diego State grad Tyler Lavigne pitched the first three and two-thirds innings, giving up two earned runs.

The Muckdogs battle the Crosscutters again tonight in Williamsport at 7:05. Batavia returns home tomorrow for a 7:05 p.m. game against Jamestown and then are home again Friday night against the Jammers.

Matt Carpenter and Ryde Rodriguez  each collected three hits while Xavier Scruggs homered to lead the Muckdogs to a 9-2 victory over Jamestown Saturday.

Sunday's game against Williamsport was rained out.

At 5-2, the Muckdog's are in first place in the Pinckney division, a half game ahead of Mahoning Valley.

Carpenter is leading the league with a .483 batting average. Rodriquez is the early RBI leader with nine.

The Muckdogs play a double header in Williamsport today (making up Sunday's rain out), and face Williamsport again tomorrow. The team returns home Wednesday and Friday to host Jamestown (with fireworks following Friday's game, of course).

The offense wasn’t there for the Muckdogs (4-1) tonight, as they were handed their first loss of the season by Williamsport (3-3) ona slim 1-0 margin.

Crosscutter starter Siulman LeBron (2-0) had a brilliant start, going seven strong innings with only two hits and one walk while striking out ten for the win.

The one decisive run of the game came in the top of the 3^rd for Williamsport.  Jiwan James had a two-out double and came home during the next at-bat on a base hit by Evan Porter.

Batavia pitching remained sharp despite the lack of run support.  Starter Tyler Leach (0-1) threw four innings with three hits, one run and one strikeout.  Relievers Christopher Corrigan and Josh Squatrito combined for only three hits, two walks and one strikeout.

Matt Carpenter made up most of the Muckdog offense, having 2 of the team’s 4 hits.

Batavia is on the road tomorrow to start a three game series with Jamestown.  They return home on Friday night at 7:05.

Ryan Gugel, the Gulf Coast League barely got to know you.

The Batavia high grad who signed a free agent deal with the Philadelphia Phillies organization after the Major League Baseball Draft didn't get to play in the GCL Phillies opener because he's been promoted from the short-season rookie league to long-season A ball.

The catcher will make his professional debut with the Lakewood BlueClaws of the South Atlantic League.

The club is 42-26 and leading the Northern Division.

Fellow BHS grad Chris Page was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds organization, but has yet to sign a contract. The Reds drafted four first baseman and is waiting to offer him a contract until a position opens up.