Americans Eliminate Ironbacks from Playoff Contention, Hold Off Ninth-Inning Rally

NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — In their final home contest of the season, the Niagara Falls

Americans defeated the Niagara Ironbacks 4-1 Friday night at Sal Maglie Stadium, eliminating

the Ironbacks’ chances of reaching the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL)

playoffs.

After three and a half scoreless innings, the Americans got on the board in the bottom of the

fourth after Adam Weiss was hit by a pitch and Michael Sabella laced a double into the left-

center field gap to score Weiss. The hit was the first of the game for either team and was

Sabella’s first double of the season.

Thomas Marcotte led off the following frame with a single and Evan Shank followed with a

walk. Three batters later, David Harris laced a two-out, two-run triple down the right-field line to

score Marcotte and Shank, giving the Americans a 3-0 lead.

In the seventh, Thomas Marcotte drew a leadoff walk, and Evan Shank drove him home with a

line drive to left field. Shank was thrown out attempting to stretch a double into a triple, but the

Americans extended their lead to 4-0.

Greg Orcutt made his second start of the season, tossing eight scoreless innings, while allowing

just two hits, walking two and striking out eight. He has recorded eight strikeouts in both of his

starts this season after striking out eight over seven innings against the Batavia Muckdogs on

July 14.

Jaxsyn Moritz came on in relief of Orcutt in the ninth. After Josh Bullock singled and Hendrik

Vandermeer walked, Moritz retired the next two batters before the Ironbacks got on the board

with a Michael Gregus RBI groundout, making it 4-1. Matteo Sersta followed with a pinch-hit

single to load the bases. With the bases loaded, and the go-ahead run at the plate, Moritz buckled

down and got Kieran Cutler to pop-out, earning the his first save of the season.

Orcutt picked up the win, improving his record to 2-0.

Shank finished 1-for-1 with a double, one RBI, one run scored and a walk.

Harris also went 1-for-4 with a triple and two RBIs, extending his hitting streak to 17 games and

his on-base streak to 22.

With the win, the Americans moved to 13-26, while the Ironbacks fell to 18-18-2. Although

Niagara Falls won the contest tonight, the Ironbacks still won the season series 6-4.

Links

PGCBL Box Score

Game Livestream

The Americans will take on the Batavia Muckdogs tomorrow night at Dwyer Stadium. First pitch

is set for 6:30 p.m. Niagara Falls trails the season series 5-2 and will look for its first win in

Batavia this season.

Following Saturday’s contest, the Americans will wrap up the 2026 season Sunday at Bradner

Stadium against the Olean Oilers. First pitch is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. Niagara Falls is 0-3

against Olean this season.

By: Tom Rook

July 24, 2026