The wins have been few and far between for the Batavia Muckdogs thus far in the season, but in front of a near sell-out crowd on Friday night, they were able to finally reach double-digit victories.

The Muckdogs jumped on the visiting Tri-City Valleycats (18-15) right from the beginning of the game, scoring in each of the first four innings.

Like he has all season, Anfernee Seymour sparked the offense with his lightning-quick speed. Seymour struck out to start the game but the ball got away from the catcher, allowing Seymour to take first.

Seymour then stole second for his 15th stolen base of the year, tying the Valleycats’ own Johnny Sewald for the league lead.

Hot hitting Brad Haynal then singled home Seymour for his 15th RBI of the season.

“They have been competing and trying their best,” Manager Angel Espada said. “We can’t forget these guys did the toughest thing to do in baseball and they did it, which is to throw a perfect game.”

Batavia continued it's hot start in the second when Taylor Munden singled and then two passed balls allowed him to advance to third. Cameron Newell, who came into the game hitting an abysmal .091, tripled to score Munden and make it 2-0.

Travis Brewster was able to plate Newell with a sacrifice fly to short leftfield.

Coming into the game, Valleycat starting pitcher Dean Deetz led the league with a 4-1 record on the mound, but Batavia seemed to have his number all night.

Alexander Fernandez belted a solo home run in the third inning to make it 4-0.

“We took advantage of their mistakes and that’s what you have to do as hitters,” Espada said. “If they make a mistake you have to make them pay.”

The offensive barrage continued in the fourth when Newell was hit by a pitch and moved to second, thanks to a gorgeous sacrifice bunt by Travis Brewster. Lead-off man Seymour then smacked a single to score Newell, but the Muckdogs were not done.

After a strike out by Fernandez, Stone Garrett connected on his league leading sixth home run of the season.

“I’ve just been not pressing more and telling myself I have more time to see the ball,” Garret said. “When you’re pressing you’re jumping out at everything and swinging at balls in the dirt.”

If you have followed any part of the Muckdogs' season, you know that they have struggled to put a complete game together and Friday night was no exception.

After getting a run back in the fifth, Tri-City was able to score four runs in the seventh-inning to pull within just two runs of Batavia.

Fourth-round pick out of the University of Oklahoma, Anthony Hemelyn started the inning with a single and was quickly plated by a Pat Porter RBI triple. Sewald then singled home Porter making it 7-3.

Antonio Nunez walked with one out and then both runners were moved up 90 feet because of a passed ball. Bryan Muniz singled to score Sewald, closing the gap to 7-4.

“We are going to have to earn everything and nothing is going to be given to us,” Espada said. “It’s just one of the seasons.”

After a pitching change, Bobby Wernes grounded into a fielder’s choice, scoring Nunez and getting the score to 7-5.

Jordan Hillyer was able to get out of the inning without any more damage.

Batavia responded by adding a run the bottom half of the inning after a Garrett double and Haynal single to set up first and third. Munden was able to get the ball far enough out of the infield for a sacrifice fly.

Tri-City was able to get that run back in the eighth to make it 8-6 but that is the closest they would get.

Steve Farnworth worked a perfect ninth inning for his fifth save of the year.

“It feels good to play error-free baseball all nine innings and just get 27 outs and no more,” Garrett said.

Seven of the nine Batavia hitters collected a RBI for the game. Munden went 3-for-3 with two singles, a double and a RBI while Garrett was 2-for-5 with a two-run home run and a double.

Scott Squier got the win on the mound after going a strong five innings. He gave up one run, two hits and struck out three.

“He went out there and competed and found a way to get it done,” Espada said about Squier.

“The last couple games we have been playing clean baseball and who’s to stay we can’t turn this thing around defensively, too,” Espada said. “We still have 40-something games left and it can be done.”

Batavia improves to 10-23 on the season and will look to keep the positive flow going on Saturday night against Tri-City. Game time is slated for 7:05 p.m. 

As we reported earlier, local artist Brandi Bruggman was invited to be featured at a show in New York City. Brandi sent us this picture and I asked her to write something up about her experience:

RAW Artist's event Glimpse at the Highline Ballroom in Manhattan last night was met with a great success! Two live bands were followed by five fashion shows, live special FX makeup artists, and two floors of showcasing artists and photographers.

Brandi Bruggman, a local multimedia artist who was showcasing her fine art recapped the event in saying, "I had so much fun! My artwork was well received by a wide variety of people there. I made new friends, received a lot of responses, and sold some great artwork! It was an incredible first-time showcasing experience!"

Bruggman will continue to create fine artwork and ship it internationally. She currently has a full collection up for viewing for the summer inside West End Bagels in Clifton Park.

A car vs. pedestrian accident is reported at Jackson and Ellicott streets in the City of Batavia. The suspect vehicle (not described) left the scene. The pedestrian who was struck is said to be limping in front of the Kwik Fill / Red Apple gas station and convenience store on the corner.

UPDATE 5:56 p.m.: Police say the suspect vehicle is a gold Ford Taurus that went southbound on Ellicott Street (Route 63).

Press release:

In response to last week’s shooting at a National Guard recruiting center in Tennessee, Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R,C,I-Batavia) is introducing new legislation that would improve security at these facilities in New York State. The bill will be cosponsored by state Senator Rob Ortt.

“There is nothing more important than securing public safety – especially the safety of the brave men and women who defend our nation and communities in the National Guard, military and emergency responders. We cannot allow what happened in Tennessee to be repeated here in New York and I am doing everything I can to ensure that those who protect us are safe here at home,” said Hawley, who is the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Veterans’ Affairs Committee and recently hosted the committee’s chairman on a tour of facilities in Western New York.

The new legislation will establish a work group to examine and make recommendations on ways safety can be improved at National Guard recruitment centers in our state. The committee will have 13 members, including representatives from the state Division of Military Affairs, Commission on Homeland Security and Emergency Services, State Police, legislative committee chairs, and four members appointed by the governor, and two members appointed by each of the Assembly Speaker and Temporary President of the Senate.

Upon enactment of the legislation, the work group would have until Dec. 1, 2016 to submit its first periodic report to the state Division of Military and Naval Affairs, which would be empowered to implement any approved recommendations of the group.

(Pete and Anupa Hirani)

Locals can now buy a cup of frozen yogurt and a few household items at the new Jackson Express Mini-Mart.

Owners Pete and Anupa Hirani decided to expand YoTwisters, the former frozen yogurt shop, into a mini-mart to keep customers coming back in the winter. The frozen yogurt shop could not bring in enough business this winter, forcing them to close during the month of December. 

Since then, Pete and Anupa Hirani expanded the business, renamed it and reopened on July 4.

In addition to the frozen yogurt bar, the mini-mart is stocked with snacks, soda and soft-serve ice cream. They also offer a variety of grocery and cleaning items like sugar, coffee and toilet paper. They will be selling cigarettes and lottery tickets soon.

Anupa Hirani has experience managing convenient stores and is excited to grow her family's business. Her goal is to have customers stop in for frozen yogurt or ice cream and pick up a few grocery items as well. 

"Customers can enjoy a cup of frozen yogurt and buy a few household items they need all in one place without having to wait in a long line at the grocery store," Anupa Hirani said.

In the next couple of months, they plan to use the full kitchen in the back to serve a variety of hot food. Before opening YoTwisters, they owned Salsa & Curry, a restaurant offering Indian and Mexican cuisine. They are looking into bringing back some of their old customers favorite dishes as well as pizza and wings.

Press release:

Local health care organizations United Memorial Medical Center and Oak Orchard Health will be hosting an event for breastfeeding mothers that will attempt to break international records as well as raise awareness on the important health benefits of breastfeeding.

Pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and their babies are invited to attend the event that will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Jerome Center in Batavia on Friday, July 31.

It's part of the international "Global Big Latch On," a synchronized breastfeeding event that will include thousands of breastfeeding women and their babies/children across the world.

In addition to the count, the Latch On event at the Jerome Center will also have refreshments, giveaways, face painting, car seat check, and drawing for a Vera Bradley diaper bag. Please arrive early to register!

A Pembroke woman who was reportedly behind the wheel of a 1997 Chevrolet Geo in February when it crossed Route 20 at Molasses Hill Road, Bethany, and was struck by a semi-truck has been indicted by a grand jury on a count of manslaughter in the second degree.

Hannah E. Dibble, 22, appeared in Genesee County Court today to be charged under the 11-count indictment, where she pled not guilty and was released under supervision of Genesee Justice.

Her friend, Alyson D. Krzanak, 18, of Corfu, died as a result of injuries sustained in the crash. Suffering serious physical injuries in the collision Feb. 21 were James Scherer, 21, Brandon Danser, 22, and Felecia J. Fazzio, 20.

Dibble was also indicted on counts of vehicular manslaughter in the second degree, vehicular assault in the first degree, three counts of assault in the second degree, three counts of vehicular assault in the second degree, and two counts of DWI.

Crystal M. Bouter, 26, of Oak Orchard Road, Elba, is charged with two counts of giving or selling alcohol to a minor. Bouter allegedly supplied alcoholic beverages to minors.

Lee C. Clark, 35, of Lewiston Road, Oakfield, is charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, DWI, refusal to take a breath test, failure to keep right, moving from a lane unsafely, speeding and driving while talking on a cellphone. Clark was pulled over on Lockport Road in Oakfield by Deputy James Diehl. He was jailed on $1,000 bail.

Douglas J. Ostrander, 57, of North Bergen Road, Bergen, is charged with driving with a BAC of .08 percent or greater, DWI, drinking alcohol in a motor vehicle, speeding and driving with license restrictions. Ostrander was pulled over on Buffalo Road in Bergen for traffic violations when Deputy Joseph Corona allegedly ound him to be in an intoxicated condition.

Shannon K. Kestler, 41, of Jefferson Street, Attica, is charged with petit larceny. Kestler is accused of shoplifting from Kohl's in Batavia.

Joseph A. Sunday II, 19, of South Lyndonville Road, Lyndonville, is charged with petit larceny. Sunday allegedly stole items from Kmart in Batavia.

Benishio C. Coger, 19, of Buffalo, is charged with unlawful possession of marijuana. State police pulled over the car Coger was riding in for alleged tinted windows in Pembroke. An investigation revealed he allegedly possessed a cigar containing approximately one gram of marijuana.

There is not much left to say about the 2015 Muckdogs (9-22) season other than it has been a huge disappointment, as they lost their fourth straight game Thursday night and dropped their winning percentage to a measly .281 percent on the year.

If you had to choose one game thus far in the season to be a microcosm of the Muckdogs' year, Thursday night’s game against the Connecticut Tigers (15-16) would be at the top of the list.

When watching the team, it is hard to deny that, even though they are in the middle of a historically bad season, they continue to fight for almost all of the game. What has been lacking all year is the inability to put a complete game together.

Coming into the seventh inning of Thursday night’s game, the Muckdogs held a slim 1-0 lead. When Batavia was finally able to get the third out of the inning, they found themselves down 5-1.

Josh Lester, a 13th-round draft pick out of Missouri, started the inning with an 11-pitch at-bat that ended in a walk. AJ Simcox and Tanner Donnels both singled to load the bases.

Will Allen singled, scoring Lester. Shane Zeile doubled off the centerfield wall, scoring both Simcox and Donnels. Victor Padron smashed a hard ground ball up the middle to plate Allen and Zeile, making it 5-1.

“It was a good game until the seventh,” Manager Angel Espada said. “It was one of those days and how the season has been for us.”

After the seventh-inning meltdown, it did not appear things could get much worse, but things did just that in the eighth.

After batting around the order in the seventh, Lester again led off the inning with a walk. Simcox, just like last inning, singled. Donnels followed that up with another single, scoring Lester. Just like a broken record, Allen singled to make it 7-1.

Zeile worked a walk to load the bases with still no outs, against Muckdogs left-hander Justin Langley. Jose Zambrano continued the trend by singling home Donnels. Langley’s night was over after just two-thirds of an inning pitched.

Ayron Adames did not weather much better in relief. Adames would allow three straight RBI singles to Padron, Cam Gibson and Brett Pirtle. When all was said and done, the Tigers had sent 12 batters to the plate in the eighth, scoring six runs on seven hits.

The Muckdogs were able to push across one run in the bottom of the eighth but it was far too little, way too late.

The one bright spot of the game was the fact that the Muckdogs did not commit an error in the field. Coming into Thursday night’s game the Muckdogs had a committed a league high 63 fielding errors in only 31 games. That is good for 12 more than the next team, which has 51.

In their three-game series against the Tigers, the Muckdogs were outscored 20-9.

The Muckdogs will welcome the Tri-City Valleycats, an affiliate of the Houston Astros, to Dwyer stadium for a three-game series starting on Friday night at 7:05.

Fireworks will follow the conclusion of the game. 

FRIDAY, JULY 24TH - COMMUNITY DAY & THRILL NIGHT
All Day - Wade Henry - Entertainment Tent
9am - Open Class Sheep Show - Open Sheep Barn
10am - 4-H Horse Show Fitting, Showmanship & Western - Horse Ring
11am - EXHIBIT HALLS AND BUILDINGS OPEN
1pm - Open Class Beef Show - Show Ring
1-11pm - MIDWAY OPENS - Amusement Area
4-H Goat Obstacle Course Contest - Livestock Building
3pm - 4-H Sheep Trimming and Blocking Contest - Sheep Barn
5:30pm - 4-H Tractor Driving Contest - Via Pre Registration - Kennedy Building
5:30pm - 4-H Goat Costume Contest - Kennedy Building
6pm - NIOGA Jr. Showmanship - Show Ring
7pm - 4-H Fur & Feather Knowledge Contests - Merton Building
7pm - COUNTY FAIR GRAND DEMOLITION DERBY - Grandstand
7pm - Beer Tent Opens - Beer Tent
8pm - 11 pm Audibull - Band - Beer Tent
10pm - EXHIBIT HALLS AND BUILDINGS CLOSE

For more information on this year's fair and daily events, please click here to visit our site!

Good weather and lots to see and do highlighted Thursday night at the Genesee County Fair.

There were stock car races, the 4-H livestock auction, rides and games, and music and the talent show (which was over before I got there).

Top photo: Brendan Pimm with his sheep during the auction. Brendan donated the proceeds to the medical care to his friend Buddy Oderkirck, also in the ring.

Michael Ermantrout.

Mandy Ross

Taylor Augello

To purchase prints, click here.

A small group of juveniles got into a ruckus this evening at Austin Park during the weekly Care-A-Van Ministries cookout event and Batavia PD was called to respond, said Sgt. Chris Camp.

Camp said normally you want parents who are present to get involved and deal with their children, but tonight the parents got too involved. They started yelling at each other.

Four city units and three county units responded to the call as a result.

Camp said it's unfortunate that 95 to 98 percent of the people who attend the Care-A-Van event never cause a problem, but Thursday night calls to Austin Park are becoming routine, he said.

A caller at Ficarella's Pizzeria reports watching a woman steal an air conditioner from a tent set up for the Crossroads House rummage sale off Liberty Street (behind the car wash). The caller said the woman is carrying the unit and walking toward the Pok-A-Dot. City police are responding.

The tent sale started today (ending at 4 p.m.) to help terminally ill people in Batavia. It runs Friday and Saturday, too.

UPDATE 9:17 p.m. (by Howard): The caller was a volunteer night watchman who was just arriving at the garage sale to set up his night lights. He spotted the woman taking the air conditioner from under a tarp. She didn't move it far. The volunteer was wondering how she was going to transport it on her bike. The woman left, but police caught up with her and she said she was only looking at the unit. "How'd it look?" asked the officer. "Good," she said. "So you're coming back tomorrow to buy it?" "Yes," she said. Police took down the woman's ID information and released her.

So far, there's no plea agreement for Suzanne Corona in her alleged drug sale charge. The attorneys in the case could not reach an agreement, though Corona was scheduled to appear in Genesee County Court today for a possible plea.

Judge Robert C. Noonan held a conference with Assistant District Attorney Will Zickl and Corona's attorney Brian Degnan but with no deal, the case was adjourned.

Corona, 45, of Osterhout Avenue, Batavia, is charged with fourth-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. She allegedly sold suboxone to an agent of the Local Drug Task Force in March.

If a plea is not negotiated, the case will go to trial.

She is due back in court at 9 a.m. on Aug. 3.

For previous coverage, click here.

Eight members of Alexander Central School's Class of 1940, along with family and friends, met to celebrate their 75th reunion at Bohn's Restaurant this afternoon.

Robert Meyers attended Alexander High School for two years and formed close friendships with his classmates.

"We were a small school with a graduating class of 36," Meyers said. "Everybody knew each other." 

According to Meyers,10 members are alive today.

Irene Johncox organized the reunion and enjoys catching up with her old classmates every year.

"The fact that we have stayed in touch all these years is great," Johncox said.

The class looks forward to next year's reunion.

Brandi Bruggman, a multimedia artist from Batavia, will be showcasing her fine art pieces at one of the largest exhibits in Manhattan tonight.

"Glimpse" is a one-night art show at the Highline Ballroom. The multifaceted art show features work from visual artists, musicians and makeup artists.

RAW, an international arts organization, presents the show and has invited emerging independent artists from all over New York to showcase their work. The organization holds art shows in 60 cities across the United States.

"This is my first big art show in New York City that I have participated in with a whole showcase," Bruggman said. "It's a good social networking event and an opportunity for me to sell my work as well."

 ("Be Love" is one of Brandi Bruggman's paintings showcased at the art show in Manhattan. Her full showcase includes 10 paintings, sample glassware and a book of prints.)

RAW found Bruggman's work on Etsy and recruited her for the show a month ago. Due to the short notice, she has been working diligently to finish her paintings and organize a print book. All of the paintings featured in her showcase are new and made within the last 60 days.

Bruggman has owned her art business for six years. She first started her business producing Bruggies, a line of soft goods, in her college dorm room. Now her main focus is on fine arts. She does a variety of paintings and murals for local businesses but also ships her work all over the country and to England and Canada.

There is certainly a train load of stuff to consider buying at the Crossroads House garage sale today, and all of it is priced to sell.

The sale, on School Street between Liberty and Swan, goes until 4 p.m. It resumes at 9 a.m. tomorrow and goes to 4 p.m., and then 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

Press release:

The 69th season of live racing at America’s oldest lighted harness track gets under way on Monday (July 27) with post time set for 6:35 p.m. That is the first of 70 live racing dates to be contested during the Batavia Downs summer-fall session that runs through Dec. 12.

The racing schedule begins with a Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday rotation for the month of August and switches to a Wednesday, Friday, Saturday slate for the remainder of the meet.

For the first time in track history, there are eight matinee cards to be held during the year. Besides the five Sundays in August, afternoon starts are also set for Labor Day (Sept. 7), Columbus Day (Oct. 12) and Breeder’s Cup day (Oct. 31). And two twilight Tuesdays have been penciled in for Sept. 15 and 22.

Post time for Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are 6:35 p.m. until Oct. 21 when it gets pushed up to 6:15 p.m. for the remainder of the meet. All matinees start at 1:15 p.m. and the two Tuesday cards start at 4:30 p.m.

Todd Haight, general manager/director of Live Racing at Batavia Downs, is both busy and optimistic this week leading up to opening night as he handles many of the last minute details needed to make the meet successful.

“A new era of racing begins at Batavia Downs this year as we have inaugurated changes that will take racing here well into the future. Between the construction of the new trackside hotel, paddock changes, increased purses and our goal to present our live patrons with little down time between races with all our special events, the 2015 meet should be one to be remembered,” Haight said.

The changes Haight spoke about will be evident to both fan and horseman alike upon entering the Batavia campus, most noticeably the construction of a new four-story hotel at the top of the stretch that will overlook the track. Slated to open on New Year’s Eve, the property will be going up as the meet goes on.

In order to facilitate that project, the existing paddock alignment has changed. It is now a four-race enclosure with 16 new wash stalls just adjacent in Barn 1. Horsemen are advised to become familiar with the new paddock schedule, which is available on the Batavia Downs' Web site.

Purses have increased for many classes due to the increased handle on the gaming floor. To start the meet, the Open trot and pace will each go for $10,000.

Some of the best racing in the sport will be contested at the Genesee County oval this year, headed by a full complement of New York Sire Stake (NYSS) events.  The best juveniles from the Empire State will compete here on July 27, Aug. 2-5-9-22 -30 and Sept. 4 and 16.

Then on Saturday (Oct. 3), the Downs will host the second richest night of racing ever (behind the Breeders Crown in 1988) when the $50,000 Robert J. Kane Memorial Invitational Pace and four $50,000 NYSS consolation events will headline the program. Horsemen will be competing for purses totaling almost $300,000.

Race Secretary Joe Zambito has put together another solid condition sheet and is anxious to get the meet under way.

“It’s a very exciting time at Batavia Downs with so many positive changes taking place. Our defending driving champion and seventh highest percentage driver in North America, Kevin Cummings, is back to protect his title along with our other veterans including Jim McNeight,” Zambito said.

“Our young guns are led by 'Driving Drew' Monti, Shawn McDonough and Dave McNeight III. And this year we welcome Craig Gilmour, who is shipping in with a 25-horse stable.”

Fans attending the live races will also notice some changes along with one of the most aggressive promotion lineups available at any race track.

This year there is no quinella wager; superfecta minimums have gone from .10 to .20; and the track introduces their new “Early Bird Daily Double,” available only in the Paddock Room to patrons attending the races live. Bettors who wager a total of $10 or more on daily-double wagers will receive $10 in free play for the Batavia Downs' gaming floor.

Twenty-three of the 70 racing dates feature promotions and giveaways that offer something for everybody.

On opening night there will be free racing programs and magnetic racing schedules (while supplies last) and that will be followed by Dollar Friday’s ($1 hot dogs, soda and beer) all during August. But the most anticipated events come after that.

Aug. 23 is Family Fun Day and features the ever popular dachshund or “Wiener Dog” races. A daylong schedule of special events designed especially for children will start at 2 p.m. and run through the afternoon. The 80-dog field starts their heats after the last live harness race. All events are sponsored by Genesee Feeds of Batavia.

Sept. 5 is a special driver bobble-head giveaway, sponsored by TAG Jewelers. More information on this (including the driver featured) will be released shortly.

Sept. 7 is the annual Labor Day matinee featuring the driver’s bike race, which got its start back in the 1970s. Eight of the Downs favorite reinsmen turn in their sulkies for 10-speeds to see who can peddle their way to victory. The eight bicycles used in the race will be randomly given away after the race to the fans who select the winning driver.

For more information on all the events at Batavia Downs this year, logon to www.bataviadownsgaming.com. There you can get full race schedules, entries, results and you can watch all the race replays immediately after each race has been declared official. Live streaming video of all the races is available by becoming a member of Bataviabets.com.