Batavia (12-12) scored as many runs as they had all series, but it was not enough as they lost 9-6 to Mahoning Valley (16-8).

The Muckdogs got on board first in the 1st when Devin Goodwin doubled and came in to score on a base hit by Alan Ahmady.  After the Scrappers tied it up in the next inning, Batavia answered right back with two of their own.  Ryde Rodriguez led off the inning with a single and Niko Vasquez followed with a triple down the right field line.  Jario Martinez then had a sacrifice fly to get himself an RBI.

However, the 3-1 lead was short-lived, as Mahoning Valley scored three runs in both the 3rd and 4th innings and two more in the 7th.

Batavia also plated two in the 7th.  Luis De La Cruz got himself a base hit before Beau Riportella smashed his second home run of the season.  They looked to rally back in the 9th.  LaCurtis Mayes pitched a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout and two groundouts to start the momentum.  In the bottom of the inning, De La Cruz reached and moved to second on errors.  He then advanced again on a passed ball and came home on a Riportella single.  But with two outs already in the inning, that was all they could muster.

Michael Blazek (2-3, 3.86) had a rough start to get himself the loss.  He went three and a third innings letting in seven runs, although only five were earned, on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts.  Daniel Calhoun threw three innings of his own with two runs, four hits, one walk and two strikeouts.

Vasquez and Riportella both went 2-for-4 on the night.  Vasquez had a triple, a run and a RBI.  Riportella had a homerun, one run and three RBI.

Tomorrow the league has a day off before Batavia travels to Hudson Valley for a three game set.

They're commonly called "bicycle-shaped objects" -- the bikes Wal-Mart sells. They're built and designed to be cheap, not reliable. The same could be said for the lawn mowers you can get at Home Depot -- for $120 to $130 you can get a lawn mower, that if you're lucky, will last the summer, and then you can replace it next year.

People think of the Big Box Stores as low-price leaders, but there's an adage we all know: You get what you pay for.

When you shop on price alone, you may just be throwing your money away.

The advantage of the local retailer is that his or her reputation rests on the products in the store, and the service that goes with the sales.  The typical local business owner went into a particular line of work because that's his passion. He or she is an expert in the field. That passion and expertise makes for a better shopping experience.

And sometimes you'll be surprised -- the lowest prices aren't always at the big boxes.

Here at The Batavian we're thankful for the men and women who own so many of Genesee County's great stores and restaurants, because without them, there would be no site in town like The Batavian.  If you appreciate what we're doing, please support the sponsors listed below, and when you do, please let them know that you saw their ad on The Batavian and it influenced your patronage for that day.

• Adam Miller Toy and Bicycle
• Affordable Floor Covering
• Alex's Place
• Barrett's Batavia Marine and Sporting Supplies
• Batavia Cycle Center
• Batavia Downs Casino
• Batavia Muckdogs
• Blue Pearl Yoga
• Carlson's Studio
• Cedar St. Sales and Rentals
• Center Street Smokehouse
• Charles Men's Shop
• D'n'R Fireplaces and Stoves
• Delavan's Restaurant and Tavern
• Diegelman Plumbing
• Eclectic Creations
• The Enchanted Florist
• Essence of Candles
• Fastec Automotive
• Genesee County Red Cross
• Genesee Feeds
• Godfrey's Pond
• Herbly Wonderful
• Holland Land Office Museum
• Jackson St. Grill/Belladessa's
• The Insurance Center
• Larry's Steakhouse
• Lewis and Lewis
• Main St. Pizza Company
• The Mane Attraction
• Max Pies
• O'Lacy's Irish Pub
• Oliver's Candies
• Pellegrino Auto Sales
• Picasso's Pizza
• Present Tense Books
• Roxy's Music Store
• South Main Country Store
• Southside Deli
• Sport of Kings
• T.F. Brown's
• T-Shirts Etc.
• Valle Jewelers

A little late, but here's the Top 10 posts for June:

• Manhunt in progress near Townline and 63
• Elba robbery suspects identified, arraigned and held without bail
• Pavilion superintendent earning $183K
• Lightpost painting in downtown Batavia
• New York Assembly passes 'Farm Death Bill'
• Weeds Be Gone: City looks to toughen ordinance for property clean up
• Walgreens fence is barrier to business growth in Le Roy
• Emory Upton's monument getting a little unexpected sprucing
• Anti-teen drinking campaign in Genesee County June 20 
• Purple boxes spotted in Genesee County trees designed to trap Emerald Ash Borer

The S.C. Genesee Lancers United u19G took first place at the 2009 Greece Cobras FC Tournament July 10-12 in Rochester, NY.

The ladies went 4-0 on the weekend, starting off with a 3-1 win over the Pittsford Mustangs as Jessie Jaszko, Brittany Luckey, and Kaylie Ewers all scored. Game #2 say the ladies defeat the Genesee Lancers Rough Riders 2-1 behind goals from Lindsay wellspeak and Ali Malinowski. Sunday morning the ladies defeated rival Greece Cobras 3-1 as Ewers tallied one and Kasey Welch had two goals.

The Tournament final pitted the Lancers United against Salt City-Syracuse Sensation. Welch's goal with 9 minutes remaining gave the Lancers a 1-0 win and the title. Leslie George made 6 saves for the shutout in goal.

The ladies have now won 9 consecutive u19 tournaments, indoor and outdoor, dating back to last winter, and look to run the streak to ten in the Gates Soccer Tournament July 18-19 in Gates-Chili.

Roster: Lindsay Wellspeak, Emily Starowitz, Emilie Rath, Audrey Rath, Kasey Welch, Jessie Jaszko, Ali Malinowski, Kaylie Ewers, Brooke Mallaber, Jenna Ferrando, Leslie George, Brittany Luckey, Jamie Braswell, Alesha Amend, Julia Medwid, and Jenn Lonnen.

The team is coached by Chris Chilano and sponsored by SJ Starowitz, T.F. Browns, and Lewis and Lewis, PC.

This video captures just a slice of the early hour or so of the 4th Annual Ramble Music & Arts Fest.  By the afternoon, T.F. Brown's was wall-to-wall music fans both inside and on the patio. The spirit of the event is can only be captured if you show up in person, and from all over the country.

The following arrests were reported in conjunction with the Rascal Flatts concert yesterday at Darien Lake Theme Park:

Crystal M. Parmenter, 23, of 111 Lincoln Mills Road, East Rochester, was charged with harassment for allegedly slapping another person who was in a car while exiting the concert venue.

Gaston R. Prattis, 18, of 247 Erb St. E, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, and a 17-year-old from Canada were charged with trespass for allegedly climbing into the backstage area. Each was held on $500 bail.

David B. Terrance, 23, of Wheeldon Drive, Rochester, was arrested and charged with exposure for urinating in public.

Landon B. Zeeman, 21, of 2004 Ten Concession, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada, was charged with petty larceny for allegedly stealing a can of beer from a concession stand. He is held on $500 bail.

Melissa M. Thompson, 33, of 100 N. Main St., Medina, was arrested for allegedly stealing approximately $3,000 over the course of four years while working as a manager of food service at Darien Lake. She was charged with grand larceny and issued an appearance ticket.

The following individuals were also cited for ABC violations:

August C. Nienburg, 19, of 477 80th St., Niagara Falls.

Brian K. Drylewski, 19, of 474 21st St., Niagara Falls.

Jason M. Hahn, 19, of 1049 101st St., Niagara Falls.

Mark D. Bigley, 20, of 250 73rd St., Niagara Falls.

Brianna J. Cowell, 20, of 58 Coronet St., Tonawanda.

Jennifer C. Malley, 20, of 3349 Wallace Drive, Grand Island.

Carrie L. Schoeping, 18, of 3349 Wallace Drive, Grand Island.

Danielle R. Bruno, 19, of 195 Deerwood Lane, Grand Island.

Plus three people under the age of 18.

The Stafford Fire Department sponsored its annual waterball and volleyball tournaments Saturday at its facility in Stafford.

Alden's department won the waterball tournament this year. 

Waterball is a competition between two teams with fire hoses trying to shoot a ball on a rope from one end of the field to the other. When a team can push the ball against the other team's backboard, that team gets a point.

The charity event helps raise money for Stafford's health and education fund. The fund recently distributed $500 each to cancer patients so they have fuel money to get to and from treatments. Also, each year the fund provides $1,000 college scholarships to a pair of Stafford high school seniors.

Two teams from Stafford and one each from Alden and Elba participated.

Assistant Chief Scott Kibler submitted the pictures.

More photos after the jump:

The Muckdogs (12-11) got an early 5-1 lead and were able to hold on against a tough Mahoning Valley (15-8) team for the win.

Batavia’s big inning came in the 3rd when D’Marcus Ingram, Devin Goodwin and Alan Ahmady all singled to load the bases.  Xavier Scruggs followed with a double to plate two.  Ryde Rodriguez kept things going with another two-RBI double in the next at-bat.  Rodriguez later came home himself on a single by Beau Riportella.

The Scrappers added two of their own in the 5th and another in the 7th but that was all they could muster.

Kevin Siegrist went four innings in the start with five hits, one run and two strikeouts.  Josh Squatrito (1-1, 1.74) picked up the win in his one and 2/3 innings of relief work.  He let up two hits while striking out two.  Newcomer Joeseph Kelly got his first save, pitching a scoreless 9th.

Goodwin and Ahmady both finished 2-for-4, each with a run scored.

The rubber match between the two teams is tomorrow night. Game time is 5:05.

A person reportedly suffered only a minor injury after being struck by lightening outside of Wal-Mart in Batavia at about 11:30 a.m.

At this time, no further information is available.

Because of the weather, the Ramble Music and Arts Fest has been moved indoors to T.F. Brown's on E. Main St.

There is an indoor stage for eletric bands and the acoustic bands are playing on the patio.

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the region.

Josephine A. Boltz, 25, of 174 Burch Ave., of Buffalo, is charged with DWI following a minor property damage accident at Darien Lake Theme Park during the Nickelback concert. Boltz reportedly had a BAC of .08 or greater.

Other arrests associated with the Nickelback concert:

Joshua R. Handy, 25, of 6 Williams St., Mt. Morris, charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Nolan R. Boughton, 24, 188 Canal St., Lyons, was charged with harassment for allegedly striking a security officer while being escorted from the concert venue.

A 16-year-old from Hamburg was charged with unlawful possession of marijuana.

Richard W. Randall, 32, of 4349 Cemetery Road, Marietta, was charged with charged with disorderly conduct for allegedly fighting inside the concert venue. He is held on $100 bail.

Benjamin Q. Antonucci, 18, of 4192 Broadway, Alexander, charged possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Christopher J. Burger, 18, of 9393 Stady Road, West Valley, charged with possession of alcohol by a person under 21.

Erica A. Taylor, 31, of 1802 Lodi St., Apt. 2, Syracuse, charged with criminal possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking marijuana in front of her 13-year-old daughter.

Michael Boland, 25, of 1802 Lodi St., Apt. 2, Syracuse, charged with criminal possession of marijuana and endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking marijuana in front of his girlfriend's 13-year-old daughter.

Matthew J. Pentycofe, 22, of 29 Spencer Court, Batavia, charged with harassment for allegedly pushing and fighting with security guards inside the concert venue. He was held on $300 bail.

Peter B. Vanderwall III, 19, of 47 Seneca Street, Waterloo, is charged unlawful possession of marijuana and with endangering the welfare of a child for allegedly smoking and possessing marijuana in front a child under 17 years of age.

UPDATE: Jeremy M. Pysher, 19, of 730 Exchange Road, Attica, was seriously injured and is in critical condition at Erie County Medical Center following a one-car accident on Route 238 this morning at 8:42.

The Genesee County Sheriff's Office is investigating the crash in which Pysher, driving a 1991 Chevrolet Lumina, drifted across the southbound lane and off the west shoulder of the roadway. The car struck a tree "virtually head-on" and twisted around the trunk of the tree before striking a second tree.

The car caught fire, but the fire was contained to the rear of the engine compartment. 

Pysher suffered unspecified injuries as well as burns to his lower legs.

He was transported by Mercy Flight to ECMC.

The location of the accident on Route 238 was appoximately 4/10 of a mile south of Griswold Road in Darien.

The ongoing investigation is being conducted by Deputy Eric Seppala with assistance from Sgt. James Meier, Sgt. William Scott and Investigator Timothy Weis. Also responding to the scene were the Corfu Police Department, the Darien Fire Department and members of New York State Corrections.

Original post:

A car reportedly hit a tree on Route 238 just south of Griswold Road in Darien.

At least one person is trapped in the car and extraction tools are needed. Mercy Flight has been requested. The car was also reportedly smoldering.

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An apparent hit-and-run driver injured two people tonight after reportedly rear-ending a motorcycle as it slowed to pass over an unpaved area of Walnut Street.

A witness, Joe Elmore, of Walnut Street, said he heard a loud crack followed by a woman's "blood curdling" scream, and he rushed from his back yard out to the roadway.  He assisted the driver and his female passenger, trying to get a passing BMW to call 911 and and follow the hit-and-run driver. He doesn't believe the BMW driver did either.

Elmore said he screamed at a semi-truck driver to stop and put on his flashers, and he did, to slow down traffic.

The location of the accident, about 143 Walnut St., is the start of a road construction area where the pavement has been completely removed and replaced by stones. There is an at least four-inch drop from the paved area to the rocky surface.

Both Elmore and T.J. McAllister, who lives adjacent the accident scene, said cars continue to come flying down Walnut as if there's no construction at all.

Elmore said the motorcycle driver told him that he slowed when he hit the unpaved area, but the car behind him didn't and plowed right into him.

"He said he did everything he could to protect his girlfriend," Elmore said. "He broke his leg just trying to hold up his bike."

Just in the five minutes or so Elmore, McAllister and myself stood there talking, after the accident scene had been cleared, at least a half dozen cars passed in each direction driving at or above the normal speed limit. One car hit the bump so hard something fall off of it.

Elmore said he wanted attention brought to the street so that people will be more aware that they need to slow down.

A few minutes earlier, while McAllister and I talked, he pointed to a police car pulling away and said, "This was bound to happen. See how bumpy it is. Look at that police car and how much it's bouncing even as slow as it's going. People come through here going twice as fast. It's just crazy."

No official report on the accident is available at this time.

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Mercy Flight announced job openings tonight, thanks to its new ground ambulance service, which is scheduled to start serving Genesee County Sept. 1.

We received the following announcement from Wade Schwab with Mercy Flight at 9 p.m.:

Mercy EMS, a ground ambulance service operated by Mercyflight of Western N.Y.  is seeking qualified individuals to fill numerous job opportunities.

The company will be providing ambulance service to all of Genesee County as of September 1st.

The positions will be EMT's, paramedics, paramedic shift supervisors and dispatchers.

There will be open job fairs at the Mercyflight Batavia base at 4781 E. Saile  Dr. Batavia on Wednesday 07/15 and Thursday 07/16 from 6pm until 8pm and on Saturday 07/18 from 9am until 11am.

Anyone interested in these local job opportunities is welcome to attend one  of the sessions.

We'll need to wait until Monday to talk with officials with Mercy Flight to see how the open hiring and job fairs squares with statements previously indicating the organization was looking to hire many, if not all, of Batavia's ambulance personnel.

Batavia (11-11) was lack-luster on both sides of the plate, which led to a 8-1 loss to the Renegades (15-7).

Mahoning Valley’s lead was manageable at two runs throughout the game, but a five run 8^th proved to be too much.  One walk and two errors from Batavia and two doubles and two base hits off of Renegade bats accounted for the big inning.

The Muckdogs plated one in the bottom of the 8^th when Ryan Jackson reached on an error, moved to third on a single by Guillermo Toribio and came home on a pass ball.

Andres Rosales (1-1, 11.57) got the loss in one inning of relief work, giving up two runs on two hits with one strikeout.   Christopher Corrigan went four innings in the start with three hits and two strikeouts.

D’Marcus Ingram had half of the Batavia hits, finishing 2-for-4 with a double.  The two teams play again same time, same place tomorrow.

Kelly Kiebala is the new executive director for Go Art!.

She replaces Linda Blanchet, who retires at the end of the month.

Most recently, Kiebala is executive director of the Orleans County Chamber of Commerce, and previously she spent nine years as program director for Go Art!

(Originally reported by WBTA.)

(Note: This almost seems like a trade -- We give Orleans County Pat Weissend (who is becoming branch manager for Bank of Castile in Medina), and Orleans gives back to Genesee County with Kiebala.)

The fire wasn't serious, but a good fire alarm system and regular fire drills certainly demonstrated this morning in Darien how a good fire plan can save lives and protect property.

The 5:30 a.m. fire started in the bedroom of Jeremy Rademacker when a halogen lamp was accidentally kicked to the floor and left on.

The fire alarm in Jeremy's room sounded, but because the alarm is wired into a house-wide alert system, both his father and sister were awakened by the alarm. All three people exited the house safely, with Mr. Rademacker closing the door to the bedroom on the way out, and they met at a pre-designated spot.

The fire caused $10,000 to $15,000 in damage.

WBTA interviewed Genesee County Emergency Manager Coordinator Tim Yeager who credited the family with smart smoke detector installation and prior planning with averting disaster.

Darrick Coleman, a Le Roy resident who often shares his photos on The Batavian, has some of his work on display at the Shirt Factory Cafe in Medina now through Aug. 31.

There is an opening reception July 18 at 6 p.m.

The show portrays "the beauty that can be found in many backyards in Western New York through all four seasons, but in particular Mr. Coleman's backyard," according to the press release.

The exhibit, titled "Out of Doors," is sponsored by The Genesee-Orleans Regional Arts Council.

The Shirt Factory is located at 115 W. Center Street, Medina.

A Bergen woman is accused of stealing more than $58,000 using Internet transfers from an acquaintance.

Renee E. Rowan, 45, of 7527 Gilbert Road, Bergen, allegedly initiated four different transfers of at least $9,000 each.

Rowan was arraigned in Le Roy Town Court and is held in Genesee County Jail on $10,000 bail.

The investigation was conducted by Deputy Matthew Butler and Investigator Timothy Weis, with assistance from Deputy Joseph Graff.

UPDATE: I'm not sure if this is related or not, but a reader points out that Rowan owns staubitzofbuffalo.com (WHOIS database).  The other domains that seem affiliated with that business are registered via an off-shore source that apparently hides the true identity of the domain owners. Here's the WHOIS for hartmanmodelboats.com and loyalhannadockyard.com and taubmansonline.com. All three sites have contact information for Rowan.

UPDATE: I just spoke to Investigator Weis and he said the alleged theft was unrelated to Rowan's businesses and there is no further investigation going on related to those businesses.  He said Rowan allegedly had direct access to the victim's account, but it wasn't business related.

Karl Matthew Churchill, 29, of 6018 Main Road, Stafford, is charged with harrassment. Churchhill allegedly made a threatening phone call to the Village of Corfu Court after receiving a traffic ticket for allegedly tinted windows.

Robert E. Magoffin Jr., 37, 3717 Broadway Road, Alexander, is charged with DWI with a BAC of .08 or greater. Magoffin was allegedly doing 84 m.p.h. in a 40 m.p.h. zone on Route 20 in Darien when he was stopped.  He was ordered to appear in Darien Town Court on Aug. 18.