Batavia Muckdog's best season yet in PGCBL ends in heartbreak

The Elmira Pioneers entered the fourth inning of Wednesday's rain-suspended West Division championship game ready to hit.

Matt Misiti, who tossed three innings on Tuesday before the downpour started, returned to the mound and recorded only one out while surrendering three runs, giving Elmira a 3-2 lead.

On the regular season, Misti was 4-0 with a 1.36 ERA 34 strikeouts.

The Pioneers scored again in the fifth and added on two more in the ninth to take the division title 6-3.

Trevor Dutra, who homed on Tuesday as part of a Muckdogs two-run third inning and gave Batavia the lead before the rain started, was 2-3 in the game.

The Muckogs had a regular season record of 34-8 while Elmira was 24-18.

Elmira next faces the Amsterdam Mohawks (35-7 in the regular season) for the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League championship.

Since entering the league in 2021, the Muckdogs have finished 22-19 (third place), 30-15, 27-16, and this year, 34-8.  This season represents the third straight year that Batavia has finished with the best record in the West Division.

Photos by Howard Owens