Down Offensive Day for Americans Leads to Loss Against Pilots 5-1

        NEWARK, NY - The Niagara Falls Americans traveled to Newark to face off against the Pilots in a matchup among two top teams in the PGCBL West Division. A slow offensive day led to the Americans falling by a score of 5-1. Niagara drops to 7-4, while the Pilots climb to 7-1-1 and first in the division.

        In a day that saw seven hits, all singles, by the Americans, Dalton Harper, Ethan Madison, and Paul Dulanto were the most prominent. Harper went 1-of-4, driving in the only run for Niagara Falls. Madison was 1-of-2, walking once. Dulanto did not record a hit in the game, but was the only American to cross home plate.

        Niagara Falls had only two pitchers appear in the game, each pitching 4.0 innings. The starter, Brady Toney, allowed four runs on four hits and two walks, and struck out four. Toney would be tagged with the loss in the contest. Hudson Boring entered in relief and finished the game. Boring allowed only one run on three hits and one walk, striking out two.

        Newark’s offense was led by Noah Brooks, Louis Bussard, and Nick DiGiacomo. Brooks achieved one single and one double in four at bats, driving in two RBIs and scoring one run himself. Bussard tallied one run, batting 2-of-3, and stealing a base. DiGiacomo had one hit, an RBI single, in two at-bats and walked once.

        Newark used three pitchers in the outing. Jake O’Connor pitched the first 4.0 innings, allowing one earned run on three hits and one walk, striking out three. The winning pitcher, Ethan Chavez, entered in the 5th and pitched 3.0 hitless innings. Chavez allowed only one walk and struck out another three. Brady King pitched the final 2.0 innings, allowing four hits, and striking out one.

        The Americans came out to a hot start in the 1st inning. Grant Moore and Evan Kohr hit back-to-back singles to the outfield to leadoff the game. Tommy Mathay hit a low line drive that the 1st baseman was able to catch, step on 1st base, and then throw to 3rd base to record the first triple play in Newark Pilots history. After shutting down this early spark, neither team would tally a run on the scoreboard until the bottom of the 3rd.

        Singles by two of the first three Pilots batters, followed by a stolen base, put baserunners on 2nd and 3rd with one out. A sacrifice fly by Paulie Goodness opened the scoring, driving in Jacob Poletto. After advancing to third base on a wild pitch, Louis Bussard was driven in to score on a single by Cooper Loyal. A walk by Casey Wensley put runners on 1st and 2nd. The next batter, Noah Brooks hit a double that drove in Loyal and Wensley. A strikeout by the next batter ended the inning with four runs.

        Niagara Falls would attempt to chip away at the lead in the 4th inning. After two of the first four batters were hit by pitchers, the Americans found themselves with runners on 1st and 2nd with two outs. Dalton Harper stepped into the box and took advantage by hitting a single up the middle that drove in Paul Dulanto, the only Americans run.

        The bottom of the 6th inning saw Newark score the final run of the game. The half inning started with back-to-back fly outs. The next two batters reached by a single and a walk. A single up the middle by Nick DiGiacomo allowed Brooks to score.

Links
PGCBL Box Score
Game Livestream

        Catch the next Americans home game tomorrow, June 18th, when we host the Jamestown Tarp Skunks to start a home and home series, scheduled to start at 6:30pm. It is $1 Hotdog Night! Come on down to Sal Maglie Stadium and enjoy a hot dog, or a few, watching the Americans play America’s favorite pastime. To purchase single-game or season tickets, call 716-215-6161 or visit niagarafallsamericans.com for more information. Season tickets start as low as $99! If you or someone you know is interested in sponsoring the Americans, or organizing a group outing to an Americans game, please contact General Manager Marc Witt at mwitt.canusa@gmail.com.