Contributed Photo –  J.D. Orr came through again for the Batavia Muckdogs, delivering a 2-RBI single to give Batavia the lead in the ninth on Wednesday.

TROY – The Tri City ValleyCats kept J.D. Orr hitless on Tuesday night, a rain-shortened 1-0 Batavia Muckdogs win. It snapped a 10-game hitting streak for Orr.

Wednesday night, Orr made the ValleyCats pay. With one out in the ninth inning and Batavia trailing, 5-4, Orr laced a 2-RBI single to left and the Muckdogs held on to win, 6-5.

It is the third straight win for the first place Muckdogs who are 27-18. The Muckdogs had a lot of help as the three teams chasing Batavia for first place in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division all lost on Wednesday.

West Virginia (22-21) now trails Batavia by four games, Mahoning Vally trails by five along with State College and Auburn. The only team to win on Wednesday in the Division was 15-29 Williamsport.

Batavia Manager Tom Lawless used five pitchers in the victory, but the last one he turned to was closer Evan Brabrand, who pitched a perfect ninth with a strikeout. Brabrand, a 9th round draft pick of the Miami Marlins, picked up his ninth save of the season. In 11 appearances he has the nine saves, a 2-1 record and in 10.1 innings has struck out 15.

Orr, a left-handed outfielder who was drafted in the 10th round this year by the Marlins out of Wright State, hit third in the lineup Wednesday and went 2-for-4 with 3 RbI’s, a run and a walk. Orr, who has 20 stolen bases on the season, is hitting .368.

Batavia had a lead in the sixth when newest Muckdog Julian Infante belted a 2-run home run to left field for a 3-2 lead. C.J. Stubbs hit his fifth home run of the season in the bottom of the 8th for Tri City and Batavia was down to their last three outs.

However, Orr’s single brought in Milton Smith II and Jack Strunc.

Strunc (run), catcher Andres Storms (double, run) and Rosario all had hits.

Geremy Galindez improved to 3-0 on the season with the win, as he pitched the eighth. Julio Frias started and went five innings, striking out five, allowing one walk and two runs. Brock Love, a 34th-round pick out of Alabama came in a tough situation and went 1.1 innings, pitching perfect baseball with two strikeouts. Love has a 0.00 ERA this season for the Muckdogs in five appearances and 6.2 innings.

Batavia is at Tri-City Thursday then returns home to Batavia on Friday to play the Connecticut Tigers.

Contributed Photo – Thomas Furmanski holds the Legion state championship trophy.

Thomas Furmanski, who will be a senior at Albion High this fall, has helped the Hamburg Post 527 baseball team capture the New York American League state championship.

Battling back out of the losers bracket, Hamburg claimed the title by sweeping a doubleheader victory from defending champion Rockland by scores of 9-8 and 1-0 today at Utica.  Furmanski scored a run in the 9-8 victory.

Furmanski helped Hamburg get off to a strong start in the tournament as he hurled a one hitter going into the seventh inning of a 3-2 victory over Maine-Endwell.

Hamburg then rebounded from a second round 5-0 loss to Rockland to defeat Rome 7-3 to stay alive as Furmanski banged out a two-run single.

Hamburg then defeated Saugerties 7-2 in the losers bracket finale to earn a berth in today’s title twin bill against Rockland. Furmanski had an RBI sacrifice fly in the win over Saugerties.

The state championship advances Hamburg to next week’s Legion national championship tournament in North Carolina.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Albion catcher Caden Uderitz tries to get the tag on a Chili runner at home during Tuesday’s semifinal game at Barre Park won by Chili.

Coming from behind twice, Chili upended the Albion U15 baseball squad 10-9 in the semifinal round of the Brockport  Pony League playoffs Tuesday evening at Barre Town Park.

Albion did jump out to an early 6-0 advantage by scoring three quick runs in the first inning on an RBI single by Caleb Fox, a wild pitch and a fielders choice play off the bat of Caden Uderitz and three times in the third on an RBI single by Chris Sacco, a fielders choice play off the bat of  Fox and an error.

However, Chili came battling back to knot the contest by scoring 6 times in the top of the fourth inning on the combination of 4 walks, 2 hits, a wild pitch and a hit batter.

Albion did regain an 8-6 lead by scoring once in the home half of the fourth on a fielders choice play off the bat of Pom Siebert and once in the fifth on a wild pitch but could not hold the advantage.

Chili again came rallying back this time with what proved to be a decisive 4 run sixth inning uprising on a combination of 3 singles, 3 errors and a hit batter to regain the lead for good at 10-8.

Albion did mount a last ditch rally in the bottom of the sixth scoring once on a single by Bryce Wilson, a walk and a wild pitch to cut the deficit to 10-9. However, the potential tying and winning runs were left stranded at second and third as Chili closed out the win on a pair of strikeouts and an infield line out.

Albion finishes the season at 11-2 while Chili advances to the playoff title game against the winner of the Hamlin vs. Spencerport Gold semifinal.

Albion’s Jack Ludwig, who had two hits, beats the throw to home to score.

Contributed Photo –  Eli Villalobos earned his second save of the year, throwing a perfect inning with two strikeouts as the Batavia Muckdogs defeated the Tri City Valley Cats, 1-0 in a game called after six innings because of rain. Batavia is 26-18 and in first place. 

TROY – The Batavia Muckdogs have won a lot of close games this season. Tuesday night, the Muckdogs won not only a close game, but a game that was stopped because of rain after six innings.

Jackson Rose and Eli Villalobos combined on a “perfect” 1-hitter as the Muckdogs defeated the Tri-City Valley Cats (Houston Astros), 1-0.

Rose, a 35th round draft pick of the Miami Marlins in 2018 out of Minnesota, improved to 5-2 on the season as he went five innings, struck out four and did not allow a walk or a run. He gave up a single in the third inning.

Villalobos, a 14th round pick of Miami in 2018, threw the sixth, striking out two and getting a ground out to Nic Ready at third topic up his second save of the season.

After that play, the rains came down and the thunder and lightning were closer and the game was called.

Batavia improved to 26-18, and remains in first place in the New York-Penn League Pinckney Division.

Julian Infante, who joined the Muckdogs Tuesday from the Gulf Coast League, singled and scored the only run of the game.

Infante, a first baseman, was a 36th round draft pick of Miami this year and played at Vanderbilt. he is a Miami native.

Catcher Andres Sthormes singled in Infante for the game-winning RBI in the fifth inning. Another new Muckdog (who has played Batavia), Harrison Dinicola, had a single and Jack Strunc also singled.

After Batavia took a 1-0 lead, Rose had a seven-pitch inning thanks to the defense of Muckdogs left fielder J.D. Orr. The first batter, Joe Perez hit a low-liner to left and Orr made a running, diving catch and rolled twice, holding on to the ball. With little time to enjoy the grab, C.J. Stubbs then hit what appeared to be a base hit and again made a great catch.

Batavia is at Tri-City today and Thursday.

The team returns home to Batavia on Friday to play the Connecticut Tigers.

Ian Wagner, who will be a senior at Medina High this fall, finished in a four-way tie for second place at a Western New York Junior PGA Tour event held today at the Buffalo Tournament Golf Course in Lancaster.

Wagner fired a two over par round of 74 to gain a one-fourth share of second place a shot behind tourney champion Anthony Delisanti of Sanborn who had a 73.

Wagner is currently third in the WNY Jr.PGA Player of the Year standings which is led by Delisanti.

After finishing in second place during the regular season, the Puck Hogs (whose lineup includes six Roy-Hart/Barker/Medina Club players), won the playoff championship of the Bardown High School All Star Summer League this past weekend with two victories.

On Friday, the Puck Hogs played the Starpoint Spartans, and despite having only seven players, won the game 4-0.  The locals scored in all three periods with Jason Kuchey (R-H) tallying a goal and an assist.  They also received two goals from Matthew Orlowski, and of course, the shutout from RBM goalie Andrew Warner.

Sunday evening found the Puck Hogs in their fourth match-up with regular season champion, Orchard Park.  The Hogs had lost two and tied one in their previous encounters.

OP scored in the first period and held the 1-0 lead until the 3:58 point of the next period.  Orlowski scored a power play goal assisted by Kuchey to even the score.  Five minutes later, Orlowski scored the game- winner.

There was no scoring for the remaining twenty minutes.  Again, Warner was outstanding in goal.

The RBM players were the Kuchey Brothers, Michael and Jason, defenseman Colin Dodge and forward Dominic Peracciny all of Roy-Hart as well as Jacob Harris of Barker, and Warner of Tonawanda.   RBM Coach, Mike Kuchey, led this team, as well.

Jason Kuchey was the top scorer for all ten teams in the league with 14 goals and 20 assists

A huge 11 run third inning keyed Banes Machine Shop/Banes Plumbing to a 15-2 victory over Kozy Kab Monday to remain undefeated at 11-0 in Medina Womens Softball League competition.

Leading 4-1, Banes took charge with the marathon third inning scoring surge highlighted by a grand slam home run by Jen Masse. The frame also featured singles by Connie Heschke, Masse, Kathy Allen, Robin Blaun, Amy Allis and Pattie Page.

Jen Masse also had a double during Banes’ 4 run first inning which also included singles by Heschke, Blaun and Grace Masse.

Blaum and Jen Masse both finished with 3 hits as Heschke, Page and Allis each had 2.

Banes will close out the regular season against Junior Wilson 1 next Monday at Junior Wilson.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – Natalie Bruning of Barker 2, right, and Ashlin Cole of Barker 1 battle for the ball during Monday evening’s Barker 7 on 7 Summer Field Hockey League playoff championship game which was won by Barker 1.

Barker 1 edged past rival Barker 2 by a score of 4-2 Monday evening in the playoff championship game of the Barker 7 on 7 Summer Field Hockey League.

Lena Fazzolari scored 3 goals and Kaedynce Schumacher 1 for Barker 1.

Natalie Bruning and Brianna Bachman each scored a goal for Barker 2 which also got a big defensive effort from Courtney Hillman who made 13 saves.

In the semifinals held earlier in the evening, Barker 1 defeated Roy-Hart 8-0 and Barker 2 downed Medina 8-2.

Fazzolari and Ginger Alexander both scored 3 goals and Mia Herman 2 to lead the Barker 1.

Linzie Michel made 22 saves in goal for Roy-Hart.

Bruning and Hurtgam each scored 4 goals to spearhead the offense for Barker 2 as Hillman anchored the defense with 11 saves.

Lyla Lilleby scored 2 goals for Medina.

The evening also saw the league’s MVP award for the season go to Mary Flores from Medina.

The top five goal scores for the season were Abby Blount (Medina) 12, Bruning 11, Alexander 9, Hurtgam 8 and Fazzolari 8.

 Rachel Hurtgam of Barker 2 and Ella Fox of Barker 1 go for the ball.

Contributed Photos – In Medina’s semifinal contest, Abby Blount, at left, puts the ball in play on a penalty corner opportunity while at the right Lyla Lilleby advances the ball into the Barker 2 zone.

Contributed Photo- Roy-Hart goalie Lizzie Michel prepares for a shot from Ginger Alexander of Barker 1 during the semifinals.

Photos by Cheryl Wertman – A goal in the opening minutes keyed undefeated (9-0) Kenmore to a 2-0 victory over the Lady Rams this evening in a Buffalo and Western New York Junior Soccer League girls U14 game at Gasport.

Kenmore later put a lock on the win with a goal midway through the second half.

The Lady Rams, which are now 3-4-2, finish the league season at Hamburg next Monday evening.

In the photo above, Sophia Allee of the Lady Rams advances the ball up field. At right, Ali Ausman battles for control of the ball for the Lady Rams.

There is a shakeup at the top of the leader board in the Men’s Thursday Night League at Hickory Ridge as four teams are now within six points of one another.

Loyd Denniston and Don Draper own the top for the first time this year with 166 points.  Close behind is Wes Bedford and Zack Burgess with 164 points.  Dean Dibley and Ben Flansberg are in third place with 162.  Mike Dillon and Jim Peglow hold down fourth with 160 points.  The team of Chris Barry and Jake Froman are in fifth with 144.

Low gross for the week was shared by Scott Budde and Ray Daniels with 40 each.  Dave Cotter had low net with 29.  Birdies were scored by A J Gifaldi, Gene Ashe, Mike Hartman and Guy Eaton.

In the Tuesday Ladies Late League the low gross was Brenda Powers with 48 followed closely by Cheryl Ferguson with a 49.  Powers also snagged the low net with a 36.  Barb Passarell finished second low net with a 38.  Melissa Cotter, Mindy Warne and Carol Lowell each had a low net of 39.  Ferguson and Karen Berlew reported the only two birdies.

Jan Palmer and Deb Wood still occupy the top spot in the standings with 53 points but two teams are right on their heels.  Linda Chrzan and Laurie Freeman have 52 points.  Dona Hazen and Berlew have 51.5 points. Deb Birkins and Patty Pfister hold down the fourth slot with 43 points.

Hickory Ridge Golf Association members are reminded that signup deadline for the Hickory Ridge Senior Club Championship is Wednesday.  The tournament will be played on August 5.  See e-mails or the pro shop for details on signing up for the tournament.  The Hickory Ridge Club Championship will be August 17-18.  Information regarding eligibility and signup are in the e-mails or at the pro shop.