Dunkirk holds off rival Fredonia 8-5 | News, Sports, Jobs – Evening Observer

May 14, 2022
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Dunkirk starting pitcher Nick Zatorski delivers to the plate during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Fredonia at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
Frank Jagoda’s team has been hovering around the .500 mark all season in the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Athletic Association Division 1 standings.
On Saturday, Jagoda’s Dunkirk Marauders picked the best time to play one of their best games with the rival Fredonia Hillbillies visiting Al Stuhlmiller Field.
Senior Nick Zatorski threw a complete game while nine different Dunkirk players picked up hits and seven scored runs as the Marauders beat Fredonia 8-5.
“We’ve been struggling, there’s no doubt about it,” Jagoda said postgame. “We’ve been a Jekkyl-and-Hyde team so I was kind of curious as to what team would show up today.”
The win pushed Dunkirk to 6-5 in the league as Jagoda and his Marauders hope to secure at least one home game in the upcoming Section VI Class B1 playoffs.
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Dunkirk third baseman Brady Corbett catches a pop fly in front of shortstop Tyler Karin during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Fredonia at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
“We have to increase our power points to hopefully get a home game,” Jagoda said. “Jamestown is a big point game. We have to come right at them so we’re in position to get a home game in the playoffs.”
The loss was a damaging one for the Hillbillies (10-4-1, 9-3), who entered the game controlling their own destiny for at least a share of the division crown. Now, Fredonia will have to beat Gowanda (13-4, 10-2) at home Tuesday and win on the road at Olean on Thursday while also hoping Southwestern (12-3, 10-2) drops a game to Dunkirk or Gowanda.
“It’s a little out of our hands now,” Fredonia head coach Tim Cowan said. “We have to have Gowanda and need some help later in the week. We’re not looking anywhere past Tuesday. I expect to see their ace and their best lineup.”
Dunkirk took control of a 3-2 game with a four-run fourth inning Saturday. No. 9 hitter Scott Korzenski led off with a single to center field. Javi DeJesus then hit a one-out RBI triple to deep center field. The Hillbillies missed the cutoff allowing DeJesus to score on the play for a 5-2 lead.
“He has a good hitting lineup top to bottom,” Cowan said. “We just didn’t do enough to keep them off-balance. They drove the baseball in a couple of really big spots.”
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Fredonia starting pitcher Owen Ludwig delivers to the plate during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Dunkirk at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
Jack Lanski then singled and Zatorski reached on a fielder’s choice for the second out before back-to-back RBI doubles by Brady Corbett and Nathan Pakulski broke the game open.
“The lineup, Nos. 1-9, it’s what we needed,” Jagoda said. “We’ve had two one-hitters against us and a no-hitter. Today we hit the ball really well.”
Zach Zentz singled and scored on an Amari Carter RBI single in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Marauders an 8-2 lead.
The insurance runs proved valuable as Zatorski began to ran out of gas in the final two innings. Fredonia’s Matt Cash homered to lead off the top of the sixth inning.
“It was a two-strike pitch that he hit,” Cowan said. “He was grinding the whole at-bat. He’s been our hottest hitter as of late, that’s not a secret.”
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Fredonia third baseman Owen Rush throws across the infield to first base during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Dunkirk at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
In the seventh, the Hillbillies’ Simon Davis doubled to left field and Gabe Schrader was hit by a pitch. Dunkirk then got one out on a fielder’s choice leaving runners at first and third before a stolen base and a two-out walk loaded the bases. Trevor Persch hit a two-run single to make it 8-5 and Owen Ludwig worked a full-count walk to load the bases again, but Zatorski got the final out on a grounder to third when Corbett beat Persch in a race to the bag.
“Give my boys credit, they kept charging. We had the go-ahead run at the plate when the game ended,” Cowan said. “Despite shooting ourselves in the foot throughout the game, we still gave ourselves a chance to win.”
Zatorski, the Marauders’ left-hander, struck out eight while allowing six hits, walking four and hitting two batters.
“He was up to 123 pitches. He gutted it out,” Jagoda said. ” … We had a lot of timely hits, some two-out hits. We’re very happy to put a win on the board today.”
Dunkirk jumped on Fredonia starter Owen Ludwig for a pair of first-inning runs. Tyler Karin led off with a double to center field and went to third on a wild pitch as DeJesus walked. Jack Lanski drove in the first run on a fielder’s choice, stole second and later scored on a two-out dropped fly ball.
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Fredonia shortstop Gabe Schrader throws across the infield to first base during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Dunkirk at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
“A couple of mistakes defensively gave them a couple of runs early,” Cowan said. “You’re playing from behind the whole day. That takes a lot out of you.”
The Hillbillies got a run back in the top of the second when Micah Davis singled up the middle and took second on a wild pitch. Zatorski then induced a groundout, but Davis took off for third on the throw to first and scored when a throw back across the diamond was wild.
The Marauders went up 3-1 in the bottom of the third as Zatorski doubled and Corbett laid down a sacrifice bunt before Pakulski’s RBI single to left field.
Fredonia got that run back in the fourth. Cash reached on a passed ball when he struck out, went to second on a wild pitch and scored on Nate Sercu’s RBI single to right-center field.
Now riding the high of beating its rival, Dunkirk may have to get by without Karin, its leadoff hitter and shortstop. He was jammed by a pitch on an infield single during his second at-bat and came out of the game in the ensuing defensive inning when he was unable to catch the ball.
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Dunkirk’s Javi DeJesus reacts after tripling and scoring on an error with teammate Scott Korzenski looking on during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Fredonia at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
“The kid plays his heart out. He wanted to stay in the game,” Jagoda said. “Tyler can be the heartbeat, too.”
OBSERVER Photo by Matt Spielman Fredonia’s Matt Cash is congratulated by Hillbillies head coach Tim Cowan after Cash hit a home run during Saturday’s CCAA Division 1 game against Dunkirk at Al Stuhlmiller Field in Dunkirk.
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox
ORCHARD PARK (AP) — The Buffalo Bills signed their entire eight-player draft class, including first-round pick …
SOFTBALL Nora Roberts and Olivia Green were the offensive and defensive players of the game, respectively, when …
VENANGO, Pa. — Wayne Stoughton shot the low round of 76 under pristine conditions at Venango Valley Golf Course …
CHAUTAUQUA — Marygrace Guarino and Julie Carruth each shot a 51 in the Monday Night Ladies League at Chautauqua …
The Fredonia basketball program will be hosting three youth camps over the next couple of months. The first camp …
Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox

source

Related Articles