Author: Empireproleague

Border Hounds take Game 1 in Finals

MALONE, NY – The Border Hounds took on the Plattsburgh Thunderbirds in Game 1 of a best of 3 Finals Series in Malone, NY

A Sold out game one crowd in Malone saw a well played 4-3 game. Plattsburgh took a 2-0 lead in the top of the 3rd inning when Katsuya Arai doubled to start the inning and scored on a single by George Sutherland. Sutherland would then score on a single by Kezlin Douglas.

Malone bounced back in the 6th inning when Chris Loeb led off the inning with a single. Wataru Kumagai got a single with one out to move Loeb over to third. Loeb would then score on a double by Jerry Torres. Wataru would score on the following pitch as the reliever threw a wild pitch. Jose Torrealba would then work a good count to drive in Jerry Torres with a double of his own in a cluth situation and give the Border Hounds a lead that would not be topped.

Border Hounds would take Game 1 by a score of 4-3.

Game two will be tomorrow at 5:00pm ET in Malone in which Malone has an opportunity to win their 16th game in a row and be crowned Empire League Champions.

Article by Empire Media

KRETZLER WINS 2023 HOME RUN DERBY

MALONE, NY – Tommy Kretzler has added his name into the Empire League records book as he wins the 2023 Empire Baseball League Home Run Derby contest.

Kreztler had an impressive round hitting 17 home runs to surpass teammate Aidan Safar who hit 14 in the first round.

He then would advance to the second round and hit 9 home runs to clinch his spot in the finals versus Malone Border Hounds Wataru Kumagai who got on a hot streak to enter the finals.

Kretzler then defeated Wataru Kumagai in the finals by hitting 6 home runs in 5 outs while Kumagai finished with only 2 homers in 5 outs, to become this years home run derby champion.

It was an exciting even all around for players of all teams who participated in it. We got a little rain but fans stuck around and witnessed the most homers in any Empire League Home Run Derby history!

Tommy won an Empire League bat and also a $100 Gift Card to Donovans Steak & Ale in Malone, NY.

Article By Empire Media

Surge take down top ranked Riverpigs

SARANAC LAKE, NY – After a big start to the game for the Riverpigs, you would’ve thought that the game would be a blowout. However, the Saranac Lake Surge showed some extremely fun to watch type of resiliency and would make one of the biggest comebacks in history to take down the Riverpigs 12-11.

Tupper Lake scored 3 runs in the Top of the first off the Surge Ace Nic Daniels. When Ryan Enos and Starlin Paulino reached base, Walner Espinal doubled them both in to make it 2-0. Espinal would then score on a sac fly to center by Trent Deveaux.

They weren’t done yet, Riverpigs would take advantage of many Surge mistakes on defense and tacked on another 5 runs in the second inning capped of by a double from Trent Deveaux in which 3 runs were plated.

When it seemed to be out of reach from the get go, the Surge are the type of team to always fight back. They would score 3 runs in the bottom of the second when Ben Gravel scored on a bases loaded walk, Marco Melgoza scored on a sac fly by Joshua Tesarck and Zack Fowler scored on another sac fly this time by Barrone Porter.

The Riverpigs didnt seem to take the foot off the pedal as they would add another 3 runs in the 3rd inning when Walner Espinal would single in Steven Armstrong and Ryan Enos following a run by Bakari Gayle on a wild pitch.

But just when the Riverpigs thought they had it in the bag, The Surge put a 4 spot in the 3rd batting around the lineup, 2 in the 4th and 2 in the 5th to put the game tied at 11.

The Riverpigs would be shut down for the remaining of the game now scoring a single run since the 3rd inning.

In the 7th inning, the Surge would take the lead 12-11 when Tomeko Saez scored on a smoked line drive off the bat of Barrone Porter to the right center field gap and would never give up that lead as Zach Marlow came in to relief for Brett Elmer and shut the door for the Surge.

Elmer was credited with the win, Jaelin Sewell was credited with the loss and Zach Marlow was credited with the save.

This was the second loss of the season for the Riverpigs and 2nd in the last 3 games.

Article by Empire Media

Japan takes down Tbirds in Plattsburgh

PLATTSBURGH, NY – Japan goes into Plattsburgh and puts a stop to the Thunderbirds hot streak with a 11-9 victory.

Japan started things off in the 3rd inning scoring 4 runs on a big fly grand slam by Tommy Dunleavy to score Ryosuke Sato, Luke Chung who doubled earlier and Tommy Kretzler.

Thunderbirds would have an answer in the 4th inning when Max Guadalupe and Juan Lugo scored on bases loaded walks.

Tommy Dunleavy takes an Empire League lead in homers in the 5th inning when he sent a second homer over the center field wall. This time a solo shot for Dunleavy to give the Islanders their 5th run of the game.

In the bottom half of the 5th, Plattsburgh scored 3 runs when Max Guadalupe doubled in both Justin Ayala and Zach Miner. Max would end up scoring on a sac fly by George Southerland.

In the 8th inning, the Islanders took the lead by score 5 runs in the top half. Darious Barton doubled to get things going and scored on a bases loaded walk. Tommy Kretzler joined the party with a grand slam to dead center to give the Islanders an 11-9 lead.

Plattsburgh scored two in the 8th when Ayala scored his second run of the game on a wild pitch. Zach Miner followed him after he singled and advanced to second. Miner then scored on a single by George Southerland who ended the day with 3 hits, 3 RBI’s and 2 stolen bases.

Eri Yoshida took over the mound in the 7th and would be credited with the victory as she tossed one inning allowing just 1 run and keeping the Islanders in the game.

Darious Barton went 3 for 5 in the game. Tommy Dunleavy finished 4 for 5 with 2 homers and 4 RBI’s. Tommy Kretzler went 2 for 4 with a homer and 4 RBI’s and Luke Chung continues to produce with another 2 hit game.

Andrew Bielicki would be credited with the loss. Eri Yoshida was credited with the win and Norman Coleman Goodwin was credited with the save.

Plattsburgh walks-off in Saranac Lake

SARANAC LAKE, NY – The Plattsburgh Thunderbirds defeated the Saranac Lake Surge this evening by a score of 12-11 in which the game ended in walk off fashion.

Kyung Min Han started for the Thunderbirds and would face off against Saranac Lakes John Parrish.

Thunderbirds had the only run early on in the 1st inning when Anthony Torreullas launched a ball into the left field bleachers to give the Tbirds an early 1-0 lead

However, It was a pitchers duel through 4 innings until Saranac Lake would score a run in the 5th inning to take a 3-2 lead on a clutch base hit by Tomeko Saez to score Adam Imwalle.

The Surge would add 2 more in the 6th when Noah Ruiz scored on a double by Barrone Porter and Darrius Bomer would hit a sac fly to drive in Barrone Porter who advanced to third on a wild pitch to take a 5-4 lead.

But in the bottom of the 6th, the Thunderbirds answered with 3 runs when Jaylen Turner hit a ball to that cleared every part of land the Surge own for a 3-run homer and a 7-5 lead.

The Surge rallied back in the 7th to take the lead Scoring 5 runs. Steven Peryea Jr scored on a single by Zack Fowler for the first run of the inning. Tomeko Saez and Zach Fowler would score on Barrone Porter’s second double of the game. Then Benjamin Gravel and Barrone Porter scored on a single by lead off hitter Darrius Bomer to give the Surge a 2 run lead.

With a 10-8 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th and Jason Couture on first base, Anthony Torreullas hit a clutch triple to the right center area. But on that same play, Surge second baseman would try to make the throw home to get the lead runner and ended up throwing the ball out of play with 2 outs which caused Torreulas to score the tying run.

In the top of the 10th, Barrone Porter scored on a double by Salix Felix to take a 11-10 lead which looked to be the dagger in the game.

But Plattsburgh had other ideas, Kezlin Douglas would drive in Juan Lugo to tie the game in the bottom of the 10th, advanced to 2nd on a wild pitch, went to third on a smoked base hit by Juan Ayala to right field and Douglas finally scored on a wild pitch to end the game.

This final score of 12-11 give Plattsburgh, Saranac Lake and Malone 5 wins each in the season.

Noah Cole was credited with the win while Max Peterson was credited with the loss.

Article by Empire Media