Solid Pitching Leads Bats past Dodgers
Paul Welker - 8/4/2008
The Hornell Dodgers could not solve Brockport pitching and fell 3-1 to the Riverbats in Game 1 of the Western Division Finals.  PJ Saporito, Jeremy Macklin, and Matt Branham held the Dodgers to five hits in the victory.

The Dodgers got on the board first in the 2nd inning when Trey Bennett (Mercyhurst) tripled and scored on a sacrfice fly by Abe Steinbach (Emporia State).  After Bennett tripled, Saporito retired the next thirteen batters.

Brockport tied the game in the 4th inning when they loaded the bases and got a sacrfice fly from Andrew Dewing.

The Riverbats took the lead in the 6th when Kyle Harvey singled through the right side with two outs to plate Jared Hood.

In the 9th, the Bats loaded the bases and got an insurance run on a RBI groundout by Hood.

Saporito tossed 7.1 innings of four hit ball allowing just one earned run.  He walked none and struck out five.  Macklin got the final two outs in the 8th and Branham allowed a leadoff single but got the final three outs to earn the save.

Matt Stewart (St. Bonaventure) tossed 5.2 innings of solid ball.  He allowed six hits and two earnd runs while walking four and striking out two.

Jesse Bosnik and Harvey each finished 2 for 4 for the Riverbats while Greg Laughlin (SW Minnesota State) was the lone Dodger with multiple hits finishing 2 for 4.

The series shifts to Clark Whited Field on the campus of SUNY Brockport on Tuesday for a 3 p.m. first pitch.  If the Dodgers are victorious in Game 2 the deciding game three will be played at Maple City Park on Wednesday at 7 p.m.

In the Eastern Division Finals, Glens Falls downed Amsterdam 5-4 in game one of the series.  Game two is tomorrow evening at 7 p.m. in Amsterdam.