Brown's Slam Leads Dodgers to NYCBL Championship
8/3/2009
Rich Brown's (LeMoyne) grand slam in the 5th inning propelled the Hornell Dodgers to a 6-4 victory over the Alfred Oilers.  The win, the team's 34th of the year, earns Hornell franchise their 6th trip to the NYCBL Championship game since 2000.

For the third staight playoff contest the Dodgers fell behind early.  Alfred got on the board in the 2nd inning after loading the bases.  Dan Perkins was hit by a pitch and Nate Hillary drove in another run on a fielder's choice.

The blue and white cut the lead to 2-1 in the 3rd when Trey Bennett (Mercyhurst) hit a RBI groundout to plate Johnathan Keppler (Mercyhurst).

In the 5th inning, Thomas Zurliene (St. Joseph's) singled and moved to second when Keppler's sac bunt was misplayed.  After a failed sac bunt attempt, Bennett loaded the bases with a single.  Brown came up to the plate and sent a 1-2 pitch from Cael Johnson over the left field fence to give the Dodgers their first lead of the game.

The Oilers answered right back when Scott Haddock doubled home Coby Cress in the bottom of the 5th.

Keppler made it 6-3 in the 6th when he connected on a two-out single that scored Berto Vargas (Alfred State).  Vagas had led off the inning with a single.

Haddock picked up another RBI in the 7th to bring the Oilers within two.  Alfred had runners on 1st and 2nd when Jeff Lockwood (U of Tennessee) came out of the pen and got the final two outs of the inning.

Kris Gentzke (Brockport) earned the win on the mound with five innings of work.  He allowed seven hits and three runs.  He walked three and struck out four.  Nick Scheetz (Mercyhurst) pitched an 1.1 allowing an unearned run.  Lockwood recorded five outs allowing just one hit while striking out two to set up Chase Boruff (Carson Newman) who picked up his 9th save by getting the final three outs.  He struck out Calvin Bass to end the contest.

Bennett led the Dodgers 13-hit attack with a 3 for 5, 1 RBI day while Brad Gibson (Erie CC) was 2 for 4.  Brown finished 2 for 5 with 4 RBI and Lockwood was 2 for 5.

Haddock finished 4 for 5 with 2 RBI to lead the Oiler offense.

The Dodger franchise will be looking to win its 5th championship since entering the league in 1994.  Hornell will have to wait until at least Friday for the championship best of three series to begin. 

The Eastern Division has been slowed down by rain and the East Division championship series between #1 Amsterdam and the winner of #2 Glens Falls/#3 Saratoga will begin on Tuesday night in Amsterdam.