For
the third consecutive year in a row, the Amsterdam Mohawks are the
PGCBL Champions after a 12-1 win in Newark clinched the title.
Amsterdam
jumped out to an early lead after two innings of play after scoring
two runs in both the first and second innings. And that’s all
starting pitcher Taylor Blatch would need as he kept his hot streak
going with a complete game performance.
Blatch
pitched a complete game, allowing one run on six hits and struck out
nine.
“I
felt good last night, I felt 100 percent in the sixth inning and I
think the coaches noticed that and asked me what I wanted to do. I
told them I wanted to pitch it because I was feeling good,” he
said.
The
Mohawks widened their lead in the fourth inning when they plated six
runs to extend their lead to 10-1 and tacked on two more insurance
runs late in the game.
JaVon
Shelby had three hits for Amsterdam, including a double, and also had
two RBIs and three runs scored. Blake Logan added three hits to go
with three RBIs for the Mohawks and Thomas Cain added three RBIs on
one hit and scored a run. Leadoff hitter Marcus Carson also had three
hits for the Mohawks and scored three runs in the game two win.
Similar
to their title clinching game, Amsterdam had solid pitching and a
balanced offensive performance in their 9-3 game one victory.
Ryan
Clark started game one and pitched 3.1 innings, allowing three runs
on seven hits while striking out two. Zack Brown relieved Clark and
pitched 5.2 scoreless innings without allowing a hit as he struck out
seven while only allowing one walk to earn the win.
Once
again Cain was the offensive leader for the Mohawks, going 3-4 with a
home run, three RBIs and -two runs scored. Brendan Tracy added a
three-run shot and leadoff hitter Marcus Carson went 3-4 with a run
scored.
Overall,
Head Coach Keith Griffin was pleased with his team’s all around
performance in the postseason.
“We
pitched phenomenally, we had great starting pitching,” he said. “We
brought in Zack Brown and he was the best guy to ever pitch on that
field that night, it was incredible. The stuff, the velocity, the
command, the presence and the poise, it was just awesome.
“We
threw Taylor Blatch last night and he was awesome, just absolutely
awesome.”
For
Blatch, winning the PGCBL championship is different than any other
previous championship he has won.
“It’s
weird, I’ve never had something like that before,” he said. “I’ve
had championships for districts in high school, but getting to know
these guys during the summer, it’s like a family and being able to
win a championship, that means a lot to the community and the coaches
was really nice.
“I’m
glad we were able to have that good experience all together.”
As
far as being the winning pitcher in the championship clinching game,
it was a task Blatch was ready for and wanted to accomplish for his
teammates.
“It
was nice, having that kind of responsibility, it’s hard to explain,
Blatch said. “They scored twelve runs; it’s kind of hard not to
do well when your team is crushing the ball. Having that big of a
lead boosts your confidence and it was good knowing if I do what I
need to do, I can help win a championship for these guys.”
This
year’s Amsterdam Mohawks squad finished with a 40-11 record after
starting the PGCBL season 2-6 and Coach Griffin says this team has
set the bar high for the rest of the PGCBL.
“I’ve
been here six years and we’ve won it five times,” Griffin said.
“This is clearly the best team we’ve ever had, this is a special
group. This is the deepest pitching staff we’ve ever had; very good
hitters just kept getting better and made this the best team ever.
“This
will probably be arguably one of the greatest teams, they just set
the bar for the rest of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League
to catch this team. This team went 40-11 after a 2-6 start. They got
better, they bought in and it was a lot of fun to be around.”
At
the beginning of the season, Coach Griffin said he has three goals he
wants to accomplish by the end of the PGCBL season.
“When
we get these guys, I say I have three goals for you,” he said.
“First thing I want to do is win the championship, I mean that’s
the goal when I come in and I tell them that the first day. The
second goal is I want you to get better. And the third goal is I want
you to go back home healthy and I feel if we accomplish those three
goals, we’ve had a good summer.
“I
think we did that and I think those guys will go back as better
players than when we got them.”
For
Taylor Blatch who will be returning to Florida State for his
sophomore year, he certainly has a accomplished all three of those
goals and will take what he learned from this summer and implement it
to his career as a Seminole.
“Back
at Florida State, I was told as a reliever to mainly throw my slider
and fastball, to command those,” he said. “I felt restricted from
the regular pitches I liked to throw. This summer I let pitching
coach, Heath Storey, know the types of pitches I was trying to work
on in order to be a starter for next year.
“He
said whatever you need we’ll work with you and I just worked on two
extra pitches, the changeup and the two-seam. If my fastball and
slider aren’t working and that’s all I’m allowed to throw, then
its not going to end up very well. But having those other
alternatives this summer helped my summer be favorable.”
As
this year’s Mohawks return to college PGCBL champions, a new group
of players will come in next year with the same three goals Coach
Griffin wants accomplished. If they too buy in, the Mohawks could
possibly be four-time champions.