Generals clinch conference championship

Herkimer, NY – The baseball Generals swept a doubleheader with the Royals of Schenectady CCC on Sunday and clinched the Mountain Valley Conference Championship. Head Coach Jason Rathbun's teams have now won the conference title five times in the past nine years.

Herkimer also locked a #1 seed in the region's Eastern Division and will host a first-round playoff game on Saturday against an opponent, and at a time, to be determined. The Generals improved to 25-12 overall, 24-4 in Region III, and 22-2 in the Mountain Valley Conference.

Game One

Herkimer starter Michael DeCarlo pitched a complete-game victory in Game One winning 7-2. DeCarlo worked seven innings, allowing seven hits, no walks, and three earned runs, with four strikeouts. DeCarlo is 4-1 on the season.

Photo: Catcher Justin Stevener throws the batter out at first as Mike DeCarlo watches

Ryan Watson doubled in the first inning and Chris Burns doubled him home to take a 1-0 lead with two outs.

Schenectady scored two runs in the fourth inning, but Herkimer responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the frame when Brent Baker singled home two runs.

Herkimer added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, keyed by a Dan Smith two-RBI double to stretch the lead to 6-2.

Photo: AJ Fabrizio scores in the fifth thanks to Chris Burns' sacrifice fly

Herkimer added one in the sixth to take a 7-2 victory. Ryan Watson was 4-4 in the game. Brandon Overstreet and Smith added two hits each.

Game Two

Herkimer jumped on the scoreboard early and often in Game Two. The Generals scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning and went on to a 8-4 victory.

Leadoff batter Fabrizio was retired, but then Watson, Overstreet, and Chris Burns all singled. Cody Newbigging reached on an error, and Dan Smith hit a two-RBI double. Brent Baker backed that up with a two-RBI single and later scored on a passed ball.

Photo: Cody Newbigging scoring in Game Two

That would be enough for the versatile Ryan Watson, who was on the mound in Game Two. Watson moved to 3-0 on the season, working five innings, allowing five hits, five walks, and four runs, while striking out four. Watson also went two-for-four at the plate to raise his average to .450 on the season. Overstreet went three-for-four and raised his average to .426 on the year.

Herkimer finishes their regular season on Tuesday against SUNY Adirondack at East Field in Glens Falls. Then the team will prep for their home regional playoff game on Saturday.