Mickey Mantle Division Crown Goes to Diamond Dawgs
The Diamond Dawgs clinched the Mickey Mantle Division championship of the WNY Premier League, edging the Academy Stars 13‑12 at Diethrick Park in Jamestown.
What began as a 12‑2 deficit turned into a rally that captured the imagination of the crowd, as the Dawgs chipped away inning after inning.
Key contributions came from Jackson Butzer, who scored the game‑winning run on an errant pickoff throw, and Curtis Spielman, whose three‑plus innings of shutout pitching earned him the win.
The comeback was sparked by a walk from Huxley Hale, a single by Caden Lacki and a pair of walks that loaded the bases, setting the stage for a cascade of runs.
Cory Troutman’s stolen base and a subsequent wild pitch forced in a run, while Rylan Cambria’s two‑run single and Jaxson Swanson’s RBI sacrifice bunt added crucial points.
Cambria finished the game 2‑for‑3 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored, while Lukas Youngberg went 2‑for‑4 with an RBI and two runs, and Collin Bragg added a double.
The final inning saw the Dawgs capitalize on a leadoff triple by Cambria, which Swanson turned into a sacrifice bunt that brought home the decisive run.
Errors, steals and a series of passed balls kept the tension high, but the Diamond Dawgs held their nerve to seal a 13‑12 victory that will be remembered as one of the most dramatic finishes in local youth baseball history.