Contributed Photo –  Batavia manager Tom Lawless called on Joey Steele after an injury and the pitcher threw 2.2 scoreless innings for the save. Steele has not give-up a run in 13.1 innings this season and just one walk with 22 strikeouts. Catcher Michael Hernandez called the shutout, handling all four pitchers in the win.

BATAVIA – Just a day ago, the Batavia Muckdogs were in danger of losing the lead in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division.

However, back home at Dwyer Stadium, the Batavia pitching staff and clutch hitting led the Muckdogs to a 5-0 shutout of Mahoning Valley Sunday.

With the win and a West Virginia loss, Batavia (33-23) now has a 3.0 lead in the division.

Julio Frias improved to 4-2 wth the win, throwing five shutout innings with two strikeouts and one walk.

Jonaiker Villalobos struck out two in a scoreless sixth for his second hold and Geremy Galindez earned his second hold, but left the game with with discomfort after a pitch.

Joey Steele, the 30th round draft pick this year of the Miami Marlins who has a perfect 0.00 ERA, was called to the mound in the seventh with one out. With a few minutes to throw and stretch, he went out and threw 2.2 innings of one-hit, shutout ball with four strikeouts and no walks for his first save.

Steele has now thrown 13.2 innings with 22 strikeouts, no runs allowed, 11 hits, one walk and a 0.88 WHIP to go along with his 0.00 ERA.

“That was huge of Joe, he really picked up the bull pen, went 2.2 innings … that was big time of him,” said Batavia catcher and Miami native Michael Hernandez. “We really needed that.”

Hernandez not only handled the four pitchers for a shutout but had a basest and scored a run.

“I’m just taking it one pitch at time and trying to hit the ball hard,” said Hernandez. “We are in first place, there is no better feeling than winning. It’s always a great day when you get a shut out, that means it’s a combination of defense and pitching … it was a great day for us Muckdogs.”

At the plate, J.D. Orr was close to an inside-the-park homer when his sharply hit single to right skipped off the glove of an outfielder to the fence. He raced around the bases, scoring three runs on the play.

Orr finished 2-for-4 with two runs, his 13th RBI and increased his NYPL leading average to .384.

Nic Ready had two hits and scored a run while Sean Reynolds ripped a RBI single and Jack Strunc had a single and scored.

Not only did West Virginia (29-25) lose, but State College (27-28) in third place lost and Mahoning Valley (25-30) is in fourth.

The Muckdogs have five game left in this home stand, taking on Mahoning Valley Monday and Tuesday with games at 7:05 p.m. all week.

The Batavia Muckdogs outlasted host State College 3-2 in 10 innings Saturday evening to increase their Pickney Division lead in the New York Penn League to two games over West Virginia which dropped a 5-1 decision to Williamsport.

The Muckdogs tied the game at 2-2 with a run in the top of the ninth on a ground out and then plated the winner in the 10th on a fielders choice play.

The Muckdogs defense then turned a double play in the bottom of the 10th to preserve the win.

Now at 32-23, the Muckdogs return home for a game at Dwyer today against Mahoning Valley at 5:05 p.m.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Handling the pitching duties in today’s Medina Women’s Softball League ‘A’ Division playoff championship game were Amy Allis for Banes, at left, and Mackenzie Muck for White Birch. Banes claimed the title with a 14-2 win.

Completing a sweep, regular season champion Banes Machine Shop/Banes Plumbing defeated White Birch 14-2 this afternoon at Jr Wilson to claim the Medina Women’s Softball League ‘A’ Division playoff title.

Scoring in every inning but one, Banes jumped out to an early 3-0 lead by tallying once in the first on a triple by Jami Chatt and twice in the second on RBI singles by Lexi Neuman and Jess Carpenter.

The Banes advantage double to 6-0 in the third as Lindsay Chatt banged out a three-run home run following singles by Sue Seefeldt and Jami Chatt.

White Birch did cut the deficit to 6-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth on singles by Maddy Boyle, Alecia Hinkson, Cassie Boyce and Katie Albone but would get no closer.

Banes got those right back with interest by erupting for five runs in the home half of the fourth to break the contest open as Amy Allis had a two-run triple and Seefeldt and Lindsay Chatt RBI singles.

Three runs in the sixth, which included an RBI double by Kathy Allen and an RBI single by Neuman, then closed out the win.

Defensively shortstop Connie Heschke triggered a double play for Banes in the sixth inning.

Banes, which went 12-0 to claim the regular season ‘A’ title, defeated White Birch 17-3 and Tower Tattoo 5-4 to earn a berth in the playoff finals.

Banes scored the game winning run against Tower in the bottom of the seventh inning as Robin Blaun tripled and came home on a single by Donna Bane. Tower had tied the game at 4-4 by scoring three times in the top of the seventh.

White Birch advanced to the final by defeating Tower 16-4 and Jr Wilson 4-1.

The playoff title is the third in the last five years for Banes which has now claimed the regular season crown four years in a row.

In action at the plate are Lindsay Chatt of Banes, left, and Maddy Boyle of White Birch.

White Birch catcher Chelsie Silversmith readies to tag out Jami Chatt of Banes at home plate.

STATE COLLEGE, PA. – The Batavia Muckdogs saw their Pinckney Division lead shrink to just one game after dropping a 5-3 decision at State College Friday night in a New York Penn League game.

The Muckdogs tied the game at 3-3 with a run in the top of the eighth on a solo home run by Nic Ready. However, the Spkes answered with a two-run double by Pedro Page in the home half of the frame for what proved to be the margin of victory.

Earlier, the Muckdogs scored once in the first on a single by Michael Hernandez and once in the fourth on a single by Milton Smith.

Now at 31-23, the Muckdgos are just a game ahead of West Virginia which scored three in the ninth to nip Williamsport 6-5.

The Muckdogs face State College again today before returning home to Dwyer on Sunday.

Regular season champions Banes in the ‘A’ Division and  NYSCOBA in the ‘B’ Division will head the field for the annual Medina Women’s Softball League playoffs on Saturday.

The ‘A’ Division playoffs will be at Jr Wilson and Sacred Heart and the ‘B’ Division at Butts Park.

The first round of the ‘A’ Division games at 8 a.m. will have White Birch vs. Just Us and Tower Tattoo vs. Medina VFW at Jr Wilson and Jr Wilson 1 vs. Kozy Kab at Sacred Heart. Banes will face the White Birch vs. Just Us winner at 9:15 at Jr Wilson.

The winners bracket final is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., the losers bracket final at 3 p.m. and the finals at 4:45 p.m.,  all at Jr Wilson.

The opening round of the ‘B’ Division at 8 a.m. will have Team Monte vs. Hojacks, Jr. Wilson II vs. Genesee Feeds and Village Spin vs. Tats & Bats. NYSCOBA will face the Team Monte vs. Hojacks winner at 9:45 a.m., all at Butts Park.

The winners bracket final is scheduled for 1:15 p.m., the losers bracket final at 3 p.m. and the finals at 4:45, all at Butts Park.

Final regular season standings
A League:  Bane’s 12-0,  Jr. Wilson’s I 9-3,  Tower Tattoo 7-5, White Birch 6-6,  Just Us 5-7,  Medina VFW 4-8,  Kozy Kab 0-12
B League:  NYSCOBA 11-1, Village Spin 8-4,  Jr. Wilson’s II 7-5,  Team Monte 5-7, Hojack’s 3-9,  Genesee Feeds 3-9,  Fats & Bats 3-9

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – The race for the Pinckney Division lead in the New York-Penn League is getting hot as August as the Batavia Muckdogs lost and West Virginia picked up at least one win on Thursday.

Batavia (31-22) has a 2.5 game lead over West Virginia, who won the first game of a doubleheader against Williamsport on Thursday.

Batavia’s lone run in a 4-1 loss to State College Thursday came in the ninth when Julian Infante had a RBI double. He finished with two hits and is hitting .300 on the season.

J.D. Orr continued his tear, going 2-for-4 with a run to increase his lead-leading average to .387.

Milton Smith II, Harrison Dinicola and Andres Stormes all had hits for Batavia.

Andrew Miller threw the first five innings with two strikeouts, one earned run and two walks. Dakota Bennett went three innings with four strikeouts and one earned run.

Batavia is at State College today and Saturday and returns to Dwyer Stadium for a 5:05 p.m. game on Sunday with Mahoning Valley.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Jacob Corser brings the ball up field for Medina-Lyndonville United during this evening’s playoff title game loss to Niagara-Wheatfield at Lyndonville.

Niagara-Wheatfield bested Medina-Lyndonville United 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout to capture the Buffalo and Western New York Junior Soccer League U17C Division playoff championship this evening at Lyndonville.

M-L United jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Dan Mandujano scored off an assist from Nate Dillenbeck with 15 minutes to go in the first half but could not build on the advantage.

It remained a tight 1-0 game at the half as M-L United missed two big late scoring opportunities, the second coming when the ball rattled off the cross bar.

Niagara-Wheatfield knotted the contest at 1-1 with a goal in the opening two minutes into the second half and neither team could find the net again in regulation time.

M-L United did have several more big scoring chances, especially in the final 15 minutes, but couldn’t capitalize including just missing on a header, a direct kick and a corner opportunity.

That set the stage for a title deciding penalty kick shootout which saw N-W’s first four shooters score to lock up the crown as M-L United’s only PK tallies were by Mandujano and Cole Seefeldt.

M-L United, which had a win (3-1) and a tie (2-2) against Niagara-Wheatfield during the regular season winds up at 7-1-2.  N-W finishes at 8-1-1.

M-L United’s Nate Dillenbeck slides under a N-W player to knock the ball away.