Jack Weiller (Virginia) swings. Photo by Shawn Stannard

ALBANY, NY—The Albany Dutchmen (17-21) plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the 9th inning to bring the deficit to one run, but stranded the tying score 90 feet away, dropping a high scoring affair with the Victor Rail Riders (20-18) at Bob Bellizzi Field 10-9.

In a game where the teams combined for 19 runs on 29 hits, the Dutchmen trailed the entire way, coming within a run on two occasions of erasing a five run deficit to the Rail Riders.

Victor started the scoring in their half of the first inning, peppering Dutchmen starter, Chris Amorosi (Siena). After an RBI single, Chris Introcaso (Saint Rose) chopped a bouncing ball that eluded Jack Weiller (Virginia) around the second base bag, plating two on the miscue and growing the lead to 3-0.

Of the 5 runs Amorosi relinquished in his outing, just three of them were earned.

Trailing 5-0 in the bottom of the 3rd, the Dutchmen plated a pair on a two-run double by Michael Fitzsimmons (Ole Miss) down the left field line, scoring two runners and cutting the deficit to 5-2.

After Victor sent another run across the plate in their half of the 4th inning, Grayson Lewis (Rice) ripped a fly ball to deep centerfield with two Dutchmen aboard in the bottom of the frame. The ball clanged off the heel of the glove of the centerfielder Joe Simmons (St. John Fisher), allowing both runners to cross the plate, cutting the deficit to 2.

Albany then came within a run of their opponents in the bottom of the 5th, when Zach Remillard (Coastal Carolina) crossed home through the backdoor on a double play.

The see-saw battle then fell the way of Victor, scoring twice in the 6th and 7th innings. In the top of the 7th, Mark Cardinalli (UC Davis) mashed an RBI triple over the head of Sean Aspinall (Azusa Pacific) in center, before scoring himself on a bouncing ball struck by Evan Fernandez (Jacksonville), looping over the head of the drawn-in Dutchmen infield.

Trailing 10-5 and facing a five run deficit for the second time in the game, Remillard clobbered a solo homerun to left-center to begin the bottom of the 7th. Behind him, Fitzsimmons nearly missed a homerun himself, settling for a double off the wall in left and coming around to score on a sacrifice fly.

Trailing by three in their last at-bat, the Dutchmen put two runners aboard with 1 out against Victor’s closer, Chris Kemp (Indiana Southeast). Playing in a slight drizzle, Kemp then relinquished a two-run double to pinch hitter Dominic DiCaprio (Rice), who advanced to third on the second out of the inning.

After a deep breath, Kemp induced a lazy pop out to first off the bat of Lewis to end the game.

The Dutchmen head to Amsterdam to battle the Mohawks (31-8) on Saturday. Albany returns to Bellizzi Field Tuesday for a doubleheader with the Saugerties Stallions (11-28). Accompanying the 5:05 start is Senior Citizen Night at the ballpark. It is also 2 for 2uesday at Bellizzi Field.

The Dutchmen held a successful Chelsea Cavanaugh concert at the ballpark, with a huge raffle benefiting Maddie’s Mark, an organization that cultivates best days ever for children with terminal illnesses. However, three prizes remained unclaimed following Friday:

-A signed Chelsea Cavanaugh CD went to winning ticket number 5850330
-$100 gift card to Paesan’s Pizza went to ticket number 1555638
-$25 gift card to Swifty’s Pub went to ticket number 5850020

If you have that ticket, please come to Tuesday’s game to claim your prize.