WATERTOWN WIZARDS 8, MOHAWK VALLEY DIAMONDDAWGS 2

LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. — Derrick Weber pitched five shutout innings in his first start for the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs but not much else went right Sunday in an 8-2 loss to the Watertown Wizards.

Mohawk Valley had beaten Watertown four times in five previous meetings. The DiamondDawgs, however, continued to struggle at Veterans Memorial Park where they have lost seven of nine.

Weber, an honorable mention NAIA All-American at Iowa’s Mount Mercy College, worked through a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and turned a 2-0 lead over to the bullpen. He struck out two batters, walked one and allowed four hits, all singles.

The DiamondDawgs scored twice in the third inning when they strung together four of their six hits against left-hander Dennis Hill. Hill allowed one single in the fourth inning and another in the fifth but he and reliever Aaron Schuldt allowed just one Mohawk Valley batter to reach base over the final four innings.

The sixth-through-eighth inning went much better offensively for the Wizards. They needed just six batters to tie the score after Weber exited the game and eventually took the lead as they batted around in the top of the sixth. Blake Shepherd walked Pat Biserta and Jim Calderone. Third baseman T.J. Gavlik made a diving grab on Ben Flanary’s grounder but lost the ball as he attempted to throw and his error loaded the bases.

Jake Rifkin took over for Shepherd with nobody out and walked Joey Bowens on a 3-2 pitch to force the first Watertown run across the plate. Justin Riddell flew out to shallow right field for the first out and the runners were unable to advance. Rifkin then knocked down Brett Botsford’s comebacker but could not make a play as the tying run scored and the bases remained loaded. One out later Rifkin issued another walk and the Wizards took a 3-2 lead.

Riddell led off the eighth inning with a home run and started a four-run rally for the Wizards. Botsford followed with a single and Kosuke Hattori beat out a bunt for a hit against Randy Verdin. Brant Jones singled in a run with one out and Biserta followed with a double to bring in two more and make the score 7-2.

Bowens doubled leading off the ninth, moved to third on a fly ball and scored when Botsford grounded out.

In all, five Mohawk Valley relievers combined to give up eight runs — six of them earned — on eight hits and three walks in four innings. Left-hander Devin Lange was the most effective of the group, striking out two batters in the seventh inning and allowing just one runner to reach base on an error.

The DiamondDawg defense made its own contribution to the late inning collapse with two of the team’s four errors coming after Weber left the game.

Hill retired the last six batters he faced after waking Patrick Chaputian with two outs in the sixth. Schuldt pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the victory. Hill (2-2) was charged with two runs on six hits while striking out three batters and walking two; he was also charged with two errors on wild pickoff throws.

The DiamondDawgs got their lead on run-scoring singles by Reggie Keen and Bryce Nugent. Hill, who had not allowed a runner in the first two innings, hit Chaputian to start the third. Gavlik’s bloop single put runners on the corners and Keen singled through the right side to pick up his first RBI of the season. Navarro Hall singled to load the bases and Hill retired the next two batters before Nugent stroked a single down the left field line. Gavlik scored on Nugent’s hit and Keen rounded third in an attempt to do the same. Biserta made a strong throw to the plate and Bowens tagged Keen’s back as he slid by for the final out of the inning.

Hall had two of the six Mohawk Valley hits.

Botsford had three hits in the leadoff spot for Watertown, Hattori singled twice and every player in the Wizards’ lineup had a hit.

Mohawk Valley is on the road Monday and Tuesday for games at Amsterdam and Glens Falls before beginning July at home with a game against Mohawk on Family Dollar Night.

WATERTOWN WIZARDS 8, MOHAWK VALLEY DIAMONDDAWGS 2

Watertown    000 003 041 — 8 12  2

Mohawk Valley    002 000 000 — 2   6  4

Dennis Hill, Aaron Schuldt (9) and Joey Bowens. Derrick Weber, Blake Shepherd (6), Jake Rifkin (6), Devin Lange (7), Randy Verdin (8), Justin Cromartie (9) and Bryce Nugent. W — Hill 2-2. L — Shepherd 0-1. 2B — Watertown, Pat Biserta, Bowens. HR — Watertown, Justin Riddell. Records — Watertown 11-8; Mohawk Valley 7-10. Attendance — 392.

Compiled From Evening Times Staff Reports