LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. — The Little Falls Mounties outhit visiting CVA 14-5 on Saturday night at Veterans Memorial Park, but it wasn’t enough as the Thunder prevailed 9-7.
CVA got the offense going early as they got on the scoreboard in the top of the first inning. Pace Ludwig drove leadoff batter Brody Vogel in with a base hit to get things started for the Thunder. He would score moments later on an overthrow to give the visitors an early 2-0 lead.
Little Falls answered back in their half of the first inning. James Milianta got on with a single, and scored from third on a base hit from his brother Derek. Brayden Obreza, who was making his first varsity start after being called up from JV, got a strikeout with bases loaded to get out of a jam and end the inning holding the Mounties to the Milianta run.
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Another leadoff single would lead to a run in the top of the second for the Thunder. This time it was Tyler Monahan who got it started and he would score on a wild pitch to make it 3-1. Little Falls pitcher Jack Hummel got two straight strikeouts to limit the damage to a run and end the inning.
A massive two out rally in the bottom of the second inning would vault the Mounties into the lead, and once again, it was James Milianta who got his team going. He doubled and then scored when Giovanni Almaviva sent a rocket down the first base line that was knocked down by Ludwig but couldn’t get the out. Almaviva stole second base and then scored from second when a pickoff attempt when awry.
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With the scored tied at three, Dom Izzo drew a walk to keep the Mounties inning alive. Derek Milianta then smashed a double that scored Izzo to give Little Falls its first lead of the game. They weren’t done as the next batter, Ayrck Skibinski doubled home the elder Milianta to make it 5-3. The Skibinski double ended Obrezas debut as Thunder Head Coach Eric Moreau brought in Matt Dempsey to take over the pitching duties. Dempsey got Hummel to fly out to right field to bring the inning to a close.
After the Thunder got one back in the top of the third inning on Ludwig’s second run of the game, took the lead in the top of the fourth. Skibinski came in to pitch to start the inning and after getting a strikeout, gave up two walks. CVA then used some “small ball” and took advantage of an error to manufacture two runs. Brayden Darrow bunted home Monahan from third, and a throw across the diamond attempting to nab Dempsey at third ended up in foul territory allowing Dempsey to score. Skibinski then got two straight strikeouts to end the threat but not before the visitors had taken a 6-5 lead.
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Derek Milianta got on base with a two out infield single in the bottom of the fourth, and moved to third on a Skibinski single. He completed the circuit as he came home on a wild pitch to tie the game at six, before Dempsey ended the inning with a strikeout.
A leadoff single by Lincoln Lynch in the top of the fifth inning would start a three run outburst that would ultimately lead the Thunder to victory. After a balk and an error, Little Falls skipper Bob Gollegly decided it was time for a pitching change and brought Izzo in to replace Skibinski. Lynch then scored on a wild pitch to give his team the lead back. A walk to Calvin Jaquays followed, and then Logan Judd connected on a single that would bring two more runners in to give the Thunder a 9-6 lead.
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Moreau once again changed pitchers to start the bottom of the fifth inning, bringing in Casey Ossont for Dempsey. After giving up a one out single to Landon Lamphere, and his defense committing two errors, he settled down – getting the next two batters to quell the Mountie threat.
Izzo cruised through a three up, three down top of the sixth inning. With time running out, Derek Milianta scored his third run of the game in the bottom of the sixth to get his team within two. The Mounties loaded the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh as fans on both base lines were on the edge of their seats. With the red hot Derek Milianta at the plate, Ossont got him to strikeout to end the threat and the game.
With the win CVA moves to 4-5. They remain on the road for their next game, which is on Tuesday at VVS.
Little Falls is now 5-4 this season. They return to action on Monday with a game at Dolgeville.
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Scott Kinville and Dave Warner interview the owner of the Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs about his upcoming PGCBL season. We might even get crazy enough to talk about using a bull on the field.