Disastrous Inning Downs Americans 6-14 Against Tarp Skunks

        NIAGARA FALLS, NY - The Niagara Falls Americans returned home to Sal Maglie Stadium to faceoff with the Jamestown Tarp Skunks. Despite entering the 6th tied 2-2, late missteps shot down the Americans, losing to the Tarp Skunks by a score of 6-14. Jamestown reaches .500, earning a 6-6 record so far this season, while Niagara Falls drops to 7-5 and has now lost five of their last six games played. The Americans will look to avenge their loss tomorrow when the teams rematch in Jamestown, scheduled at 6:30pm.

        Despite falling short in the end, several Americans players had shining stat lines in the game. 2024 American and 2025 season debutant Gavyn Boyle led the way, alongside Connor Kiefer and Grant Moore. Boyle batted 2-of-5, a single and a two-RBI double. Kiefer was the only other American with more than one hit, tallying two in four at bats. Moore hit one two-RBI single across his three at bats, walking twice.

        The Americans saw four pitchers take the mound tonight. Luke Blandino started and pitched the first 5.0 innings, allowing just two runs on five hits and striking out four. The losing pitcher, Austin Barton, entered to start the 6th and had a rough outing. Barton faced eight batters and all eight scored earned runs, including a grand slam. Matthew Kasprowicz entered in relief of Barton, and pitched the next 2.0 innings, allowing only one run with two hits and one walk, striking out one. Joseph Czaja pitched the final 2.0 innings, allowing three runs, but striking out three and allowing only one hit.

        On a high-scoring night for Jamestown, Jakob Haynes, Dom Costello, Ty Lagoni, and Eric Weeks led the way. Haynes had three hits in five at bats, one single, one double, and a grand slam. Costello reached base in four of plate appearance, hitting a sacrifice fly in his one time not on base. He hit two singles and walked twice, tallying one RBI. Lagoni batted 2-of-5, one RBI single, and one RBI double. Weeks did not tally a hit, but walked twice, one of them an RBI, and hit two sacrifice flies across his five plate appearances.

        The Tarp Skunks matched Niagara Falls’ total by also using four pitchers in the night. Easton Barnett started for Jamestown, and pitched 4.2 innings. Allowing six hits, only two runs scored and he struck out four. Will Taylor, the winning pitcher, entered in relief and pitched 1.1 innings. He allowed no hits and only one walk, striking out two of his other four batters faced. Brendan Kline entered to start the 7th inning, and allowed five of his first six batters to reach base, crediting him with runs allowed. The one out he tallied in his 0.1 inning outing was a strikeout. Sam Rickman took over after Kline, and pitched the final 2.2 innings very effectively. Rickman allowed only one hit and one walk, allowing no runs and striking out four of his total 10 batters faced.

        Neither team scored in the 1st, but Jamestown took an early lead in the 2nd. After two singles, runners were on the corners with one out. Eric Weeks hit a sacrifice fly to center field that allowed leadoff batter Brady McGuire to score the first run of the game. A strikeout by the next batter ended the inning.

        In the bottom of the inning, Nick Paszt led off the inning with an infield single. After stealing on a strikeout pitch on the next batter, and soon after advancing on a wild pitch, a walk by Dalton Harper would put Paszt and Harper on the corners with two outs. A single through the left side by Greydon Miller allowed Paszt to score and tie the game. 

        The top of the 4th started with three of the first four batters walking to load the bases with one out. A sacrifice fly by Dom Costello to center field drove in Nathan Borchardt, to give Jamestown a one-run lead again. Despite walking another batter and reloading the bases, a groundball to second base ended the inning with only one run allowed.

        The Americans again did not take long to respond. In the bottom of the 4th, the inning started with a single, hit by pitch, and then sacrifice bunt to put runners in scoring position with one out. After a strikeout, Harper hit a single that stayed in the infield, and drove in Gavyn Boyle from third. A strikeout ended the inning tied 2-2.

        The top of the 6th inning is where Jamestown broke open the scoring. Austin Barton entered to start the inning for Niagara Falls. The first five batters were issued free passes to 1st base, four by walk and one hit by pitch. Ty Lagoni hit a single to left field that scored Brady Marshall. After another walk and hit by pitched scored the third and fourth runs of the inning, Jakob Haynes stepped into the box. Haynes hit a grand slam to left center field, ending Barton’s night. Matthew Kasprowicz entered and started hot, the first two outs of the inning on his first two batters faced. The next two batters would be hit by pitch. A single by Dom Costello drove in the ninth and final run of the inning.

        Jamestown turned to Brendan Kline to start the bottom of the 7th on the mound. The first three batters faced would all reach base, one hit by pitch, one single, and one walk. With bases loaded, Grant Moore hit a single up the middle that scored Greydon Miller and Connor Kiefer. After both runners advanced on a wild pitch, a ground rule double to left center by Boyle scored another two runs. Sam Rickman took over after the double and struck both of his two batters faced, the third of the inning.

        The Tarp Skunks came out in the top of the 8th and shutdown the spark of momentum for Niagara Falls. Joseph Czaja started the inning for the Americans, and recorded a fly out on his first batter faced. The next three batters received free passes to 1st, two hit by pitch and one walk. With bases loaded and one out, Eric Weeks hit a sacrifice fly to right field that scored Brady McGuire. A wild pitch during the next at bat scored Marshall and advanced Cole Swift, who was pinch running for Costello. A double to left center by Lagoni scored Jamestown’s 14th run and the final run of the game.

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        The Americans next play tomorrow, June 19th in Jamestown. Watch our broadcast, hosted by Andrew Roberts, tomorrow when the first pitch is thrown at 6:30pm. Catch the next Americans home game the day after, June 20th, when we host the Niagara Ironbacks in a contest scheduled to start at 6:30pm. Join us for Native American Heritage Night, presented by Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino! 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.