Americans Score Early and Often in 11-3 Win in Battle for Niagara

        ST. CATHARINES, ONTARIO, CANADA - The Niagara Falls Americans traveled to St. Catharines to face their cross-border opponents, the Niagara Ironbacks. The Americans beat the home team by a score of 11-3 and moved to 3-0 so far this season. The Ironbacks fall to 0-3 on the season.

        In the high-scoring performance, several Americans players shined bright. Grant Moore, Chris Guzaldo, Jake Hollins, and Shane Pray led the way. Moore went 3-of-5 at the plate, stealing four bases and scoring a run all three times he saw the base path. Guzaldo tallied three hits in four at bats, notching one RBI. Hollins had two hits, both doubles, in four at bats, scoring two runs and driving in one run. Pray achieved one single and one double in four at bats, recording two RBIs.

        Five Americans saw the rubber for the visiting squad. Austin Barton started the game, pitching 3.1 innings. Barton allowed three runs, striking out four. The game’s winning pitcher, Carmen Panaro, entered next, pitching 2.2 innings, allowing only one hit and one walk, but striking out three of his 11 batters faced. Tommy Mathay, Matthew Kasprowicz, and Joseph Czaja would each pitch 1.0 innings, with none of the three allowing a hit or a run. Kasprowicz and Czaja each allowed one walk. Mathay and Czaja each recorded one strikeout.

        The Ironbacks offense was led by Carter Shin, Grayson Briggs, and Andrew Bishop. Shin batted 1-of-4 and drove in two of Niagara’s three RBIs. Briggs had one hit in two at bats, tallying the third RBI. Bishop walked twice, scoring a run.

        Niagara-Canada used three pitchers in the contest. Ethan Catney-Forbes started the first 3.2 innings, and was tagged with the loss. Catney-Forbes allowed five runs, four earned, and struck out three. JJ Reynolds entered in relief, pitching the next 3.1 innings. Reynolds allowed six runs, five earned, striking out three in his time on the bump. Eli Thompson entered to pitch the final 2.0 innings, recording an out on all six of his batters faced, one of them by strikeout.

        The Americans didn’t wait long to score their first run. Grant Moore hit a leadoff single, and then stole second. Dalton Harper next reached on a hit by pitch before both runners stole, putting runners in scoring position with no outs. A Greydon Miller walk loaded the bases. After a strikeout put the first out on the board, Paul Dulanto hit into a fielder’s choice that drove in Moore. In an attempt by the Ironbacks to turn a double play, a throwing error by the 2nd baseman additionally allowed Harper to score. The next batter hit into another fielder’s choice to shortstop, ending the inning with the Americans up 2-0 early.

        The visiting team extended their lead in the top of the 3rd. After a leadoff flyout, Moore hit another single before stealing his third and fourth bases of the game, putting himself on third with one out. Harper walked next, and after a wild pitch, advanced to second to put runners in scoring position with just one out. Soon after, Nick Paszt singled to drive in both runners. The inning ended with the Americans now leading 4-0. 

        The next inning started with the Americans adding one more to their lead. The Ironbacks got early momentum by recording outs on the first two batters of the inning. Jake Hollins swung some momentum back to the visitors by hitting a double. Shane Pray stepped to the plate next and hit another double, scoring Hollins. After a single by Connor Kiefer, the Ironbacks turned to JJ Reynolds who induced a groundout on his first batter faced, ending the top of the 4th 5-0 Americans.

        In the bottom of the 4th, the Ironbacks chipped away at the Americans lead. Three of the first four batters walked to load the bases with one out. After the shaky start to the inning, the Americans turned to Carmen Panaro. Panaro induced a groundout on Grayson Briggs, his first batter faced, but the batted ball was still able to drive in Andrew Bishop to put the Ironbacks on the board. The next batter, Carter Shin, hit a single to right field that scored Keanu Cowley and Bryce Bedrosian. After a hit by pitch and then a strikeout, the inning ended with the Americans still ahead 5-3.

        The Americans quickly responded, shutting down the Ironbacks’ momentum by having their biggest inning in the top of the 5th. Despite a slow start with the first two batters getting out, a walk by Paszt, followed by Dulanto reaching on a hit by pitch. Chris Guzaldo hit a single to score Paszt and get the offense moving. After both runnears advanced on a wild pitch, an Evan Kohr double scored both Dulanto and Guzaldo. This started a string of RBI hits, as the next batter, Hollins hit another double to score Kohr. After Hollins, Pray hit a single to right field that pushed Hollins over home plate. A pop out ended the inning with the Americans expanding their lead to 10-3.

        The visitors scored the final run of the game in the top of the 6th. Leadoff batter Moore bunted to reach first base, and then advanced to third on a throwing error by the pitcher. After a pop out, Miller hit a single to center field that scored Moore, the Americans’ 11th run of the game, and Moore’s third of the game.

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        Catch the next Americans home game tomorrow, June 8th, when we host the Jamestown Tarp Skunks in a contest scheduled to start at 6:30pm. It is Meet the Team Night, presented by Daily News! Come early to the game to meet and greet and get autographs from your favorite Americans! 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.