The Salamanca Lizards began their NYCBL 2025 season with a bang, defeating the Dansville Gliders 11-1 with a strong performance from starting pitcher Dylan Kinney.

Kinney went six innings with one earned run, striking out seven while giving up five hits. The top Lizard batters were third baseman Gabe Roth (1-2, three RBIs) and right fielder Matt Smith (2-4, three RBIs). But the game wasn’t defined by who had the most hits, Dansville had six to the Lizards four. It was won with walks, Salamanca got 13 free bases with five players having two or more walks.

It was never a competitive game, the Lizards led from the start. After Kinney pitched a scoreless first inning, Smith hit a two-RBI double to make it 2-0.

Salamanca would then add on to their lead in the third inning. A Roth groundout brought in a run, and Salamanca graduate Harley Hoag delivered for the hometown fans with a two-RBI double that hit off the left center field fence, making the lead 5-0.

With the lead established, the Lizards continued to be aggressive. Kinney was taken out after the Gliders finally scored in the sixth inning, but Salamanca was far from done.

Roth hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh and Connor Smith walked with the bases loaded to make it 7-1. Smith would have a no hit game, but he still scored three runs off of four walks.

The rest of the contest was simple, Salamanca added four runs in the eighth to win by mercy rule while Santino Musone pitched two scoreless innings in relief. Hoag finished 1-3 with two RBIs.

The Lizards (1-0) will hope to build early momentum in their next game at home against the Horseheads Hitmen at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday.