BOONVILLE, NY - Sometimes even your best just isn’t enough. 

And underdogs face the challenge of vanquishing giants, a feat that is rarely accomplished.

No. 4 seed Boonville lost 4-3 to No. 1 seed and eight-time PGCBL champion Amsterdam tonight at Rao Family Stadium in the first round of the PGCBL postseason, marking the end of Boonville’s season. 

One inning swayed the affair in favor of the Mohawks – who plated all four of their runs in the bottom of the second. 

Starting pitcher Riley Cahill forfeited two walks and three hits on the mound to help give Amsterdam a lead it wouldn’t surrender for the rest of the contest. 

But just as the Lumberjacks have done all season, they mustered a comeback.

Cahill along with relievers Anthony Schatz, Quinn Oliver, and Sebastian Rivera blanked the Amsterdam lineup for six-straight innings, stranding six runners on base. 

Although Boonville’s pitching staff recorded just five strikeouts against Amsterdam’s lineup, the pitchers relied on weak contact to drive their mound production. 

The Lumberjacks’ field also boasted a clean defensive performance, posting zero errors for the first time since their 12-7 loss to the Blue Sox July 13. The squad’s fielding unit only had three zero-error performances throughout July but remained disciplined when it mattered most. 

Boonville didn’t score until the top of the sixth, when infielder Angel Santiago drove a single into center field, and Andy Perez charged to home plate. 

But the Lumberjacks struggled to make consistent contact. The Mohawks’ pitchers relied on their breaking arsenals to create early swings and painted the corners of the zone. The Lumberjacks’ lineup posted 12 strikeouts – the fourth time the unit notched double-digit strikeouts across its five bouts against the Mohawks’ pitching arsenal. 

Yet, this didn’t deter a final comeback attempt. 

Designated hitter Jeremiah McLemore came up to the plate with Boonville down to its last three outs in the top of the ninth. 

The Mount Olive rising redshirt sophomore barrelled a pitch, driving the ball over the left-center field fence. McLemore trotted out to first base, tossed his bat toward the Amsterdam dugout and rounded the bases, swaggering to home plate. 

The Fayetteville, North Carolina, local cut the Mohawks’ lead to one run and lifted his fourth home run of the season. 

With the bases cleared, the heart of Boonville’s batting order shouldered the responsibility to tie the affair or claim the squad's first lead.

But Mohawk reliever Mason Vernezi responded to his early-inning blunder, retiring first baseman Erwin Cabassa, outfielder Jorge Olivera and infielder Miguel Gonzalez to cement the Lumberjacks’ season-ending defeat. 

Tempers flared at the end of the contest, with Amsterdam starting pitcher Jack Kirchner gesturing toward Boonville’s dugout, ushering them off the diamond. 

Olivera seemingly took exception to Kirchner’s antics, striding toward the pitcher’s bump where the Mohawks celebrated their triumph while jeering at the starting pitcher. Multiple Lumberjacks held Olivera back to de-escalate tensions. 

Even with the postseason loss, Boonville still boasted a record-breaking campaign – the squad captured a franchise-first playoff berth and claimed a franchise-most 20 wins. Infielder Andy Perez broke the PGCBL stolen base record, ending the season with 45 swiped bags.

And the league rewarded the Lumberjacks’ elite individual performances. 

Three Boonville pitchers earned PGCBL Pitcher of the Week honors – with Houston Tomlinson, Blayne Lyne and Payton Hochhalter achieving the award. First baseman Carter McKay represented the sole Boonville player to earn a PGCBL Player of the Week selection, claiming the honor last week. 

Boonville will return next summer guided by first-year coach Jay Gonzalez, who will return for his second season at the helm.