ALBANY, NY – Matt Dacey (Richmond) powered the Albany Dutchmen (22-16) to a 10-9 comeback victory over first-place Glens Falls (23-15) Sunday night at Bob Bellizzi Field. Dacey hit the go-ahead solo home run in the bottom of the eighth to give Albany the lead for good.

Sunday was also Muscular Dystrophy Association Night in Albany, benefitting 12-year-old Derek Murphy. The game’s events and fundraiser raised over $2,000 for MDA and Derek’s cause.

The game didn’t start out as planned for the Dutchmen. Albany starter Matt Gallup (Albany) gave up a total of 7 runs in the 3^rd inning. The Golden Eagles struck first with an RBI double from all-star Garrett Degallier (Tacoma C.C.). After Degallier scored on an error, Glens Falls had a 2-0 lead. But that wouldn’t be the end. The Golden Eagles loaded the bases, and Raphael Gladu (College LaFleche) made it 3-0 with a sacrifice fly.

Manny Forcier (New Mexico Junior College) followed up the sacrifice fly with a two-run double. Jimmy Smith (St. Peter’s) then hit a double to score another run, and Kyle Holder (San Diego) added an RBI single himself to give the Golden Eagles a 7-0 lead after three innings. Eleven total batters got to the plate for Glens Falls in the inning.

Albany wouldn’t respond until the 5^th inning, but it did so in a big way. Derrick Armstrong (Mississippi State) did the majority of the damage with a two-run double to start things off. His extra base hit was followed up by an RBI single from Brad Noland (N. Alabama) and an RBI double from Chris Bianchi (Trinity). Five runs were scored in the 5^th, cutting the deficit to two runs.

After reliever Charles Parslow (Hudson Valley Community College) shut down the Golden Eagles in the next half inning, the Dutchmen tied it up. A two-run double from Dacey scored Anthony Marks (Coastal Carolina) and Tyler Orris (Millersville), and tied up the game 7-7.

The Dutchmen added two insurance runs in the 7^th, but Glens Falls catcher Jimmy Smith belted a two-run homer in the 8^th to tie things up at nine. Parslow was taken out for Albany, and Thomas Belcher (Indiana) got out of the inning without any further damage.

Dacey was the first batter in the bottom of the 8^th for Albany, and on the second pitch he saw, he ripped a fastball over the fence to break the tie. The homer was Dacey’s 6^th of the season, good for second in the PGCBL.

Belcher sat down the Golden Eagles in the 9^th to earn his 3^rd win of the summer, and Albany walked away with a 10-9 win.

With the win, the Dutchmen also move to within a game of first-place Glens Falls in the Eastern Division Standings.

Albany takes on 3^rd-place Amsterdam on the road tomorrow before an off-day Tuesday. The PGCBL all-star game in Newark, NY follows on Wednesday, where five Dutchmen players will represent the East. Matt Dacey is also slated to participate in the home run derby.

The Dutchmen finally return home on Thursday, July 25^th, to take on the Utica Brewers in a doubleheader. It’ll be a “Tailgate Tournament” at Bob Bellizzi Field, where you can win a trip for two to Turning Stone if you score the most points in cornhole. It is also All You Can Eat Night, for $10. First pitch is set for 5:05 PM.