Amherst baseball controls their own destiny for division crown
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Amherst Central hasn't won a division title in baseball since 1993 but it's looking more and more like the Tigers will accomplish one of their preseason goals.

Amherst moved into sole possession of first place in ECIC Division III after beating Maryvale, 9-1, last Friday at Amherst.

Both teams had two league losses heading into the game (Maryvale 7-2, Amherst 6-2).

If Amherst wins its last two home games against Pioneer and Starpoint at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday, respectively, then the Tigers are division champs.

"I asked (assistant coach) Chris Dolce, whose been here since 1997 or 1998, when was the last time Amherst was in first place and he couldn't remember," said Amherst coach Brian Davis. "The great thing is that we're not back dooring into wins. We're playing good baseball. We're not making errors. The pitchers are doing well. We're hitting the ball and winning the tight games."

After Amherst pitcher Andrew Hays put down Maryvale 1-2-3 in the top of the first inning, the Tigers' offense ignited in the bottom of the inning.

James Gould, Alex Dusenberry, Brandon Jeffords and Derek Duke all singled and Mike Gruttadauria doubled. Dusenberry drove in Gould and Duke singled in Dusenberry and Jeffords.

"I told them before the game that we deserved to be in this position (play for first place) so let's go out and prove it," said Davis. "We came out in the first inning and really hit the ball. Three of the four singles were line drives up the middle. The way we started I thought we were going to score 20 runs in the first inning."

Amherst added three more runs in the third. Mike Yanity led off with a walk, stole second and D.J. Filer drove him in with a single.

After Ben Gaughan walked, Gould singled and brought in Filer. Gaughan scored on a passed ball.

Yanity singled in Duke in the fourth and Phil Cultrara plated Jeffords and Filer scored Duke in the sixth, each by singles.

Many players played well on offense for the Tigers. They were: Gould (2 for 3, run scored, RBI), Jeffords (2 for 4, run scored), Duke (2 for 2, two runs scored, two RBIs, two walks), Yanity (2 for 3, run scored, RBI, stolen base), Cultrara (1 for 4, RBI, stolen base) and Filer (2 for 4, two RBIs, run scored).

Hays was awesome on the mound, pitching a complete game two-hitter, striking out four and walking one. Maryvale's one run was unearned.

"He mixes up his pitches well and keeps guys off balance," said Davis. "He forces teams into ground outs and pop-ups. He lets the defense make plays behind him."

The win capped off one of the program's greatest weeks in years.

The Tigers beat Tonawanda, 12-4, on Monday, May 5, Williamsville East, 11-7, on May 6 and Depew, 2-1, on Wednesday, all at Amherst.

Amherst pounded out 13 hits against Tonawanda, led by Dusenberry (3 for 4, triple, RBI, run scored), Duke (2 for 4, double, two runs scored), Gruttadauria (2 for 4, RBI), Yanity (1 for 3, three runs scored, two RBIs, two stolen bases) and Cultrara (2 for 3, two runs scored, RBI).

Amherst scored four times in the second, three more in the third, two in the fourth and another three in the sixth.

Hays tossed a complete game and allowed seven hits, struck out eight and walked one.

Amherst trailed East, 6-5, before the Tigers scored five runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Dusenberry (3 for 3, three runs scored, three RBIs, two stolen bases), Jeffords (3 for 4, two runs scored, two RBIs), Duke (3 for 4, triple, three RBIs) and Zach Willett (2 for 3, two runs scored) provided the Tigers' offense.

Jeffords got the win on the mound.

The Tigers scored one run against Depew in the third when Dusenberry scored on a hit and run play from a bloop single by Jeffords and once in the sixth when Gruttadauria doubled to score Duke.

A Depew runner was tagged out a step before touching home plate on a rundown to end the game.

Duke threw a complete game and allowed one run, six hits, one walk and struck out eight.

Amherst beat Cheektowaga, 8-3, on Monday, to improve to 8-2 in league, 10-4 overall.