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Alexander 2 Arkport 2, Arkport Advances 5-4 on PKs

By Chad Flint

In the opening game of the season the Alexander girls varsity soccer team ended regulation and overtime tied 2-2 with Arkport (the defending State Class D Champions) and fell 5-4 in the Penalty Kick Shootout after 6 kickers.

Alexander opened the scoring as Junior Forward Julia Pettys finished a rebound off Senior Midfielder Claire Hartl's shot to make the score 1-0 midway through the first half.  Arkport tied the game (against the run of play) on a corner with under 10 minutes remaining in the first half to tie the game at 1.

It took only 3 minutes after halftime for Alexander to go back on top as Pettys again finished a rebound, this time from Senior Forward Megan Schmieder.  Alexander looked to be on their way to victory only to have Arkport pounce on a cross that made its way across the mouth of the goal and was slid in with 57 seconds left in the game.  

Through 20 minutes of overtime neither team could score.  Each team sent 5 kickers out to take a PK, Alexander converted 4 of 5 (Senior Midfielder Autumn Atkinson, Senior Defender Amber Finan, Senior Defender Summer Bliss, and Sophomore Midfielder Abby Shilvock all found the net) but Arkport also converted 4 of 5 with Senior Goalkeeper Hannah Wilson making one save.  Alexander missed their next kick over the net and Arkport scored their last kick (despite Wilson getting a solid hand on it) and Arkport advanced to the final against the hosts.  Alexander will play Portville in the Consolation game.

Wilson made 8 saves in net while Arkports keeper made 18 which really displayed the advantage Alexander had in shots in the game.

Alexander is 0-0-1 on the season and plays Portville Saturday at 5:45pm at Kiwanis Field in Nunda.

Meet the Muckdogs: Seth Blair

By Gretel Kauffman

 

Sorry about the poor audio quality in the last two questions. The rest of the interview had to be cut out because of it. 

Muckdogs drop home game to Jammers

By Howard B. Owens

The Jamestown Jammers managed to get to starting pitcher Justin Edwards (4-5, 3.38 ERA) for five runs in the fourth and fifth innings, giving them all the runs they needed to defeat the Batavia Muckdogs.

The Jammers (40-32) are still in a wild card playoff hunt with Williamsport (41-32), while the Muckdogs are cruising into the playoffs as Pinckney Division champions.

The Muckdogs scored early, taking a 2-0 lead following a Victor Sanchez double, and hits from Jon Rodriguez and Joey Bergman.

The Muckdogs would score again in the fourth and fifth innings, but still come up short, 5-4.

Muckdogs coach Oliver Marmol was ejected in the fifth inning along with Manager Dann Bilardello. Marmol and Bilardello argued a foul ball call, which may have cost the Muckdogs a run. Shortstop Yunier Castillo hit the called foul, and later grounded out, and he apparently mouthed off himself and got tossed.

Rodriguez had three hits, knocked in two and scored twice.

Batavia is at home tonight against Auburn, in Auburn tomorrow and finish out the regular season Sunday at 1:05 p.m. against Auburn.

The playoffs start Tuesday at a location to be determined.

More pictures after the jump:

 

NY-Penn League commissioner questions Batavia's viability for professional baseball

By Howard B. Owens

The Muckdogs need to make money and draw more fans, according to NY-Penn League Commissioner Ben Hayes, but even that might not be enough to keep the team in the city of the NYPL's birth.

Hayes said Dwyer Stadium is one of three or four ballparks in the league that is not up to professional baseball standards.

"It's not that I want them to relocate," Hayes said while visiting Dwyer for Thursday's game. "It's not something I want to happen. But it is something that, if the market is not supporting the ball club, or you have a stadium that’s not in condition for professional baseball, either one of those can end a franchise, and that’s where we are."

The infield is a particular concern, Hayes said. He said he's heard, but doesn't know about firsthand, that one team that visited Dwyer this year refused to take infield practice  because the manager was concerned about the condition of the playing surface.

Minutes earlier Hayes spoke with the groundskeeper. Hayes said the groundskeeper told him the field needed to be bulldozed.

"The infield needs to be laser leveled," Hayes said. "Those things are very costly."

The local ownership group is nonprofit, Hayes noted, and doesn't have the resources to take on those kinds of improvements.

The commissioner pointed to Aberdeen, State College, Staten Island and Brooklyn as franchises with professional quality facilities. He singled out Vermont as a club that, while profitable, will need to relocate if it can't solve its ballpark problems.

Hayes agreed that it would be a shame if one of the last original franchises had to relocate.

"We considered that three years ago," Hayes said. "That was one of the top things on our minds. It's one of the last original, founding clubs in the New York-Penn League.

Unfortunately," he added, "it’s a situation where I’m not sure this club can make money. It’s losing money every year and if that’s the case, then, you know, like the other original members, those clubs will have to depart and go somewhere else."

UPDATE, Friday, 9:22 p.m.: Groundskeeper Donald Rock called to clarify -- he's concerned that some might read his comments as meaning that the whole stadium needs to be leveled. That's not what he said. He said Hayes came to him before the game and asked, "If you could do one thing, what would it be?" and he replied bulldoze the field (both infield and outfield) and level it. Rock said years of football play on the field has left it uneven. He said Hayes told him he does a great job with the field and it's in the best condition it can be under the circumstances. He said Hayes said, "The things that need to be repaired, you can't do yourself."

Sign up to play golf to help boy battle Stage 2 bone cancer

By Billie Owens

The sign-up deadline for a golf tournament to benefit a little boy with Stage 2 bone cancer has been extended until Sept. 21.

Creamy Creations of Batavia is sponsoring the golf tournament on Sunday, Sept. 26 at Le Roy Country Club, located at 7759 E. Main Road in Le Roy. Shotgun is 1 p.m.

Proceeds benefit Christopher, the son of a colleague of the company's.

Cost is $75 per person and includes 18 holes of golf, use of a golf cart, lunch at noon -- a hot dog or hamburger and a drink, then a buffet dinner afterward.

To make a reservation and/or a donation, contact Selina McJury at 345-4290.

Labor Day Weekend is jam-packed with fun at the Downs

By Billie Owens

Labor Day weekend may signify the unofficial end of summer, but hardly the end of the summer fun at Batavia Downs Casino.

America’s oldest lighted harness track will host four County Fair finals Friday night, Sept. 3, with purses of $8,000 each.

Saturday is Hall of Fame Night as The Downs inducts three of Western New York’s all-time top drivers - John Schroeder, Jeff Gregory and Clint Galbraith - in ceremonies at the winner’s circle. Gregory and Galbraith will be in the Casino lobby for a Meet ‘n' Greet and autograph session beginning at 5:30 p.m. Also, race fans have a chance to win a set of Galbraith’s colors via a random drawing. Sign up begins at 5 at the Player’s Club.

Monday features the annual Labor Day matinee with a 1:15 post time and the traditional Driver’s Bike Race following the seventh race. Fans will win the eight bicycles used in the Driver’s Bike Race by voting for their favorite driver. Sign up begins at noon in the Casino lobby. The eight bike winners will be drawn at random from the winning driver’s box.

But wait, there’s more! Following the ninth race on Labor Day, three fans will be selected by random drawing to enter the Cash Cube and win up to $1,000 in cash and casino free play. Sign up begins at noon. The names will be drawn and announced after the fifth race.

Upstairs on the casino gaming floor, patrons can win $50 in free play with Hot Seat drawings every half hour from noon to 5 p.m.

Labor Day food and drink specials include a $7.95 buffet from noon to 4 p.m. in the Clubhouse along with $1 Sahlen Hot Dogs, $1 soda and $2 draft beer all day on track and at the refreshment stand inside The Paddock Room.

Nora Lee a closing winner in Batavia feature

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

Batavia, NY --- The weekly $9,000 pacing feature for the distaffers went to Joe Cicatello’s, Nora Lee, in 1:55.2, Wednesday night at Batavia Downs Casino.

Leaving from post-position four, Nora Lee with Jamie Dunlap at the lines followed second over cover, tipped three deep at the top of the stretch and outfinished the pocket sitting Pembroke Primo (Kevin Cummings) to win by 1-3/4 lengths. The Grey Filly (Ron Beback Jr.) closed from last to be third.

Nora Lee, a Modern Art 4-year-old mare, notched her 7th win of 2010 and raised her seasonal earnings to over $36,000. Mike Delano is the conditioner.

Batavia Downs Casino will host four New York Sire Stakes County Fair finals when racing resumes on Friday Night. Post time is 6:40 pm.

Saturday is Hall of Fame Night as The Downs inducts three of Western New York’s all-time top drivers - John Schroeder, Jeff Gregory and Clint Galbraith - in ceremonies at the winner’s circle. Gregory and Galbraith will be in the Casino lobby for a Meet ‘n Greet and autograph session beginning at 5:30. Also, race fans have a chance to win a set of Clint Galbraith’s colors via a random drawing. Sign up begins at 5:00 at Player’s Club.

Muckdogs clinch Pinckney Division title with win in Jamestown

By Howard B. Owens

The Batavia Muckdogs are playoff bound, and not as just some wild card hopeful, but as certified champs.

Tonight in Jamestown, the Muckdogs recorded their sixth-straight win to capture the Pinckney Division crown.

The team in the smallest city in the league now has a shot at its second league championship in three years.

Andrew Moss turned in another strong outing and Jon Rodriguez homered twice, giving him 11 on the season, as the Muckdogs beat the Jammers, 10-5.

Moss went six-and-a-third innings giving up four runs, but only one was earned. Anthony Ferrara came on to record his second save.

The Muckdogs now lead Williamsport by four games and Jamestown by 4.5 in the Pinckney Division.

Rodriquez went  2-5 with two solo home runs. Nick Longmire had two hits and three RBIs. Chris Edmundson continued his hot hitting at the top of the order, with two hits and three runs scored. Yuner Castillo also had two hits.

The division champs return home Thursday night to face the Jammers again, and then play Friday at Dwyer (fireworks!) against Auburn. 

The Muckdogs have three more regular season home games, and one more on the road.

Meet the Muckdogs: Chris Edmonson

By Gretel Kauffman

 

The reason it's so short is that the second half of the interview had to be left out because of poor sound quality. 

Wild ending to wild game gives Batavia fifth straight win

By Howard B. Owens

In a wild one last night, the Batavia Muckdogs won the team's fifth-straight game and extended its three-game lead over second place Williamsport by beating State College 12-11.

Batavia and the Spikes took a 9-9 tie into the 11th inning. In the top of the frame, State College scored two runs to pull ahead, but the Muckdogs put three runners across the plate in the bottom half to pull out the victory.

Wild throws doomed the Spikes in the 11th.

After the Muckdogs tied the score on a double by Geoffrey Klein, a triple by Chris Edmondson and a single by Victor Sanchez, Sanchez was able to reach second on a wild pitch.

Then things got really strange.

Audry Perez struck out swinging -- at a wild pitch. When Perez ran to first -- as a hitter can do when he strikes out but the catcher misses the ball -- catcher Miguel Mendez made the throw to first to record the out, but Sanchez, sprinting from second, didn't stop running. He scored the winning run when first baseman Gerlis Rodriguez threw the ball away.

Reliever Andy North was credited with the win.

Starter Nick McCully lasted only three-and-a-third innings, giving up 10 hits and nine runs (seven earned).

Edmundson and Sanchez each scored three runs in the game on two hits apiece.

Perez hit a grand-slam homer in the third.

The Muckdogs are in Jamestown tonight and return to Dwyer tomorrow to face the Jammers again. Jamestown is in third place in the Pinckney Division, three-and-a-half games behind Batavia.

UPDATE: Added video highlights from photographer Mike Janes.

HARNESS EXHIBIT ON DISPLAY AT BATAVIA DOWNS

By Howard B. Owens

Press release:

It’s a tribute to the men and women who flirted with harness racing immortality. And the Harness Racing Hall of Fame exhibit will be on display this weekend at Batavia Downs Casino.

It’s called the Drive to Win exhibit and it features drivers and trainers who through circumstance or fate, did not rise to stardom. Their stories are poignant and down to earth and highlight that through adversity, the one shining element that connects them all is their love of and commitment to the great sport of harness racing.

Huge portraits, many provided by The United States Trotting Association and the sport’s weekly magazine Horseman And Fair World, introduce the subjects of the exhibit who were all nominated by racing fans. Each includes the complete story of the individual and what made them noteworthy in the sport.

There are 27 drivers and trainers featured in the exhibit including former Western New York regulars Jim Rankin, Robbie Rankin, George Forshey, and Angus Allen. You will also be able to see the stories of Richard Baker, Hugh Bell, Edwin Bither, Harry Burright, Vernon Crank, Harold R. Dancer, Norman Dauplaise, Alfred “Bucky” Day, Bea Farber, Hilda Heydt, Maxie Lee, Joe Lighthill, Howard Parker, Ervin Samples, Forrest Short, Phyllis Smith Page, Harold Snodgrass, Colby Turner, Sacher Werner, John “Tic” Wilcutts, Lew Williams, and Mildred Williams. Their stories provide an illuminating glimpse into this Great American Pastime.

The exhibit was stationary at the Hall of Fame of the Trotter in Goshen, NY until 2009 when it became a traveling ambassador of the sport. Its presentation here this week was made possible through support from Hanover Shoe Farms and is co-sponsored by Batavia Downs Casino and the Upstate NY Chapter of the United States Harness Writers Association. It will be on display in The Paddock Room from 5:30 to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday and from Noon to 4:00 p.m. Labor Day Monday. Evening post times are 6:40 with a 1:15 matinee post on Labor Day.

We will also have many hand outs from the museum including the colorful and informative Hall of Fame Journal from this past July 4th inductions at Goshen, NY.

Many thanks to Tim Bojarski, President-Upstate New York Chapter of USHWA for making this exhibit possible.

'Jake Arnold' bests wiener dog field for second year in a row

By Howard B. Owens

"Jake Arnold" is one fast dachshund.

For the second year in a row, the 3-year-old owned by Jane Smart has won the prestigious Wiener Dog Races at Batavia Downs.

"Jake Arnold" beat out 52 other entrants, some of whom never even crossed the finish line, before a packed house of 3,850 race fans.

Taking second and third in the final heat of Sunday's races were Ron Schiller’s “Rudy” and Michael Tyrpak’s “Sahlen.”

From the Batavia Downs' press release:

While there’s no doubt "Jake Arnold" loves bacon treats, the key to success is he simply gets nervous when Jane Smart isn’t around.

“Since he’s been a pup, as soon as he sees me, he runs as fast as he can towards me,” said Smart, the winning dog's owner.

Thanks to “Jakes” good work, she received $100 to spend in the casino. And yes “Jake Arnold” will definitely be back next year.

For second-place finisher “Rudy,” this may have been his final appearance at the Genesee County oval. Definitely a champion, "Rudy" won the 2008 races and has finished second behind "Jake Arnold" the last two years.

“He’ll be 8 next year, we’ll have to see how’s he’s doing,” owner Ron Schiller said, but knowing Rudy, he’ll be back.

“We want to thank everyone for coming out and Petco for sponsoring the races,” said Todd Haight, promotional marketing specialist for Batavia Downs Casino and Western OTB. “It’s amazing how big this event has grown since its inception in 2005. It was definitely great to see such a large crowd.”

More pictures after the jump:

Muckdogs retain grip on 1st with 6-4 win over State College at Dwyer

By Howard B. Owens

Behind seven strong innings from starter Zach Russell, the first-place Batavia Muckdogs beat State College at Dwyer today, 6-4.

The Muckdogs, now 40-27, are a game and a half ahead of Jamestown in the Pinckney Division.

Russell gave up only two runs (one earned) and scattered 8 hits, to improve his record to 2-3 and lower his ERA to 2.72.

Third baseman Jon Rodriguez (pictured above scoring the first run of the game) sparked the offense, going 3-4, scoring twice and smacking two doubles. He had one RBI.

Joey Bergman, playing second base today, had only one hit in his three ABs, but it was a big one. Bergman drove in three runs in the sixth inning to give Batavia a 4-0 lead.

Catcher Audey Perez continued his hot hitting, going 2-4 and scoring a run. Nick Longmire also had a hit and a run scored. DH Patrick Biserta had two hits and an RBI.

Anthony Ferrara pitched two innings, giving up five hits and two runs, to pick up his first save of the season.

The Muckdogs have two more games at Dwyer against State College (32-36), followed by a game in Jamestown on Wednesday, then a home game against Jamestown on Thursday. On Friday, Batavia is at Dwyer for a game against Auburn.

There are only five more home dates left in the regular season.

More pictures after the jump:

Audey Perez

Jon Rodriguez slides safely into second. It was an odd play. The throw beat Rodriquez by at least a second, but the second baseman was a good five or six feet of the bag and couldn't get back to the base in time, even though Rodriguez started his slide too soon and got to the bag rather slowly.

Zach Russell.

Without knot holes in outfield walls, how is a kid supposed to sneek a peak at a professional baseball game? How about stand on his bike seat and handle bars and watch over the right field wall?

Zach Russell on the mound.

Meadows invader Snapper the best in Batavia Mares Open

By Howard B. Owens

Press Release:

Batavia, NY --- It was another prime summer evening for harness racing in Western New York as the 64th season of live racing continued at America’s oldest lighted harness track. The feature race, the tenth race on the card, was a $9,000 Open Handicap Pace for fillies and mares with an optional claiming price of $17,500.

The feature went to the Meadows invader Snapper, with Jack Flanigen at the lines, pacing to the mile in a swift 1:56.3. In for the place was Pembroke Primo with John Cummings, Jr. Sun Belle Perfect and Ronny Beback showed up to round out the $55.00 trifecta.

Snapper and Flanigen moved from the rail to overtake the early lead from Cummings and Pembroke Primo just before the quarter pole. The talented mare took the front and cruised comfortably until just before the three-quarter pole when Tom Agosti and Jennifers Major showed a boost of speed to challenge Snapper just rounding the final turn. The efforts of the field did not overcome Snapper and Flanigen, as they drew away to win by 1-1/2 lengths. The fractions for Snapper were :28, :58.1 and 1:28.1.

Snapper is a 7-year-old mare by Keystone Luther. She’s owned by Anthony Cummings and Carl Cummings trains her. The winning $2 mutuel price was $3.20. Snapper was claimed out of the race for $21,000 by Howard Ouriel.

Live racing will continue this Friday and Saturday evening. Saturday features the annual tradition of Old Fashioned Night at Batavia Downs Casino. We will roll back the price of Sahlen’s hot dogs and soda to just 50 cents from 5 p.m. to the last race in the Paddock Room.

First Matinee of the Season at Batavia Downs Tomorrow

By Howard B. Owens

Press Release:

Batavia, NY --- Racing fans are reminded that Batavia Downs Casino will be conducting a special 12-race matinee program, on Sunday August 29. First race post time is 1:15pm.

Sunday is the first of three matinees scheduled this season, the others being Labor Day and Columbus Day.

"Batavia Downs Live," the 3 1/2 hour Time Warner cable broadcast of the Downs races will not be aired tomorrow.

"We simply couldn't get the airtime," Michael Kane, Vice President of Live Racing said. "With all the activities scheduled it's going to be a great day to be at the racetrack anyway."

Among the Family Fun activities scheduled for the kids are appearances from Pringles the Crown and Mr. Scribbles along with free pony rides. These events take place from two until four.

Food specials, beginning at noon, include $1.00 Sahlen Hots, Sodas, Popcorn and Snow Cones. A special clubhouse buffet will be served for just $7.95.

And finally after the last harness race of the afternoon its the annual wiener dog races, sponsored by Petco.

A total of 56 dachshunds will compete in 7 heats with the winner from each heat returning for a championship final. The owners of the top three finishers in the finals receive Casino free play. For more information visit www.bataviadownscasino.

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