Amherst's win over Williamsville South not an upset
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst's 6-4 home win in 6½ innings over Williamsville South on Monday, April 23 was no fluke.

"It showed the team we can play with anybody if we play hard," said Amherst coach Brian Davis. "From start to finish, you could tell they really wanted this game. The kids were doing all of the little parts - hustling, picking each other up. For example, Derek Duke hit a fly ball to right field in the second or third, the South player dropped the ball and he kept barreling into second."

"They capitalized on our mistakes and we had plenty of them," added South coach David Delisanti. "We didn't take Amherst for granted. We just played bad."

Amherst sophomore Tom Ponticelli drove in three runs, including a sacrifice fly in the sixth to give Amherst the 6-4 lead. Ponticelli finished with two doubles, scored a run and played solid in left field.

Alex Dusenberry (1 for 2, run scored, RBI, stolen base), Will Gowen (1 for 3, double, two runs scored) and Mike Yanity (1 for 2, RBI, run scored) also chipped in on offense for the Tigers.

South tied the game at 4-4 in the third on runs by Greg Reed, Frank Pieri, Nick Needham and Greg McDermott. But the Billies were kept off balance by the work from Amherst junior pitcher Andrew Hays, who threw six innings and allowed eight hits, three earned runs and struck out three.

South had won 26 straight league games heading into the game. It was Amherst's first win of the season.

Amherst took the victory over South into Iroquois on Tuesday, April 24 and lost 3-2. Down 3-0, the Tigers chipped away, making it 3-2 in the fifth. Amherst had Dusenberry on second as the potential winning run in the seventh but his teammates could not advance him home. Dusenberry finished 2 for 4, scored a run and stole a base. Gowen went 2 for 4 with a double and RBI. Ponticelli, Chris Eyeington and Duke also singled.

Shaun Garus picked up the loss on the mound, throwing six innings and allowing six hits, two earned runs, and striking out one batter. Davis said Garus got out of a bases-loaded jam with no outs in the fourth by forcing a pop-up and a groundout to him for a 1-2-3 double play.

As much as the Tigers improved during the week, Davis felt he backtracked in a 6-1 loss at West Seneca East on Friday, April 27.

"It seemed to the coaches that the team wasn't into the game," said Davis. "It was frustrating because we had played two good games in a row."

Ponticelli hit 1 for 3 and had the team's only RBI. Dusenberry, Duke and Andrew Gibson each singled.

Ponticelli threw four innings and allowed six hits, two earned runs and struck out three. Brandon Jeffords pitched the last two innings and allowed one hit, struck out one and allowed no earned runs.

Overall, Amherst pitchers have a 3.41 ERA and have held their opponents to a .280 batting average. The Tigers are hitting .190 at the plate.

"The pitchers have been doing a great job," said Davis. "Going into the season, I might not have said it would be a weak point, but I never guessed they would not only be keeping us in games but making big pitches when needed to."

Amherst (1-3) played at Hamburg on Monday, April 30 and versus Williamsville East on Tuesday, May 1 but results of both were not available before The Bee went to press. They host Williamsville East on Wednesday, May 2 and travel to Lake Shore for a doubleheader on Friday, May 4.

South's other game that was played was a 6-1 non-league loss at Batavia on Tuesday, April 24. South's only run came by Shane Hurley, who doubled and scored on an error in the third. Alex Walkowski added a two-out single for the team's only other hit.

Shawn Mooney threw 4.1 innings and JV player Andy Diakun pitched the last 1.2 innings and struck out four batters.

The Billies (3-2, 3-1) played Lake Shore on Monday, April 30 and Tuesday, May 1 against Iroquois but results were unavailable before The Bee went to press. South hosts Hamburg at 4:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 2 and Williamsville East on Thursday and Iroquois on Friday. Both are 4:30 p.m. starts.

e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com