The Albany Dutchmen dropped a second consecutive contest to the Amsterdam Mohawks, as the 39-10 Mohawks claimed a 5-2 decision over the Dutchmen. A loss by the Glens Falls Dragons kept the Dutchmen a half game ahead of the Dragons entering the final day of the season. Albany and Glens Falls will play on Thursday at East Field with the final PGCBL playoff spot on the line.
Amsterdam wasted no time in taking the lead on the Dutchmen, scoring twice in the top of the first inning. Drew Freedman (Wake Forest) singled on the second pitch of the game from Mike Reitcheck (Penn), the Albany starter. After a strikeout, Justin Yurchak (Binghamton) reached on an error, moving Freedman to second. With two outs in the inning, Brendan Tracy (Fairfield) doubled into the right center field gap, scoring both runners for a 2-0 Amsterdam lead.
The lead was extended to four runs in the second frame by the Mohawks. Macy Holdsworth (Indiana) reached when a bouncing ball to shortstop was misplayed. A single by Gage West (Florida State) and a walk to Kyle Dean (BYU) loaded the bases with no outs. Holdsworth scored on a Freedman fielder’s choice, and the second run crossed the plate when Dedelow hit a bouncing ball to first base, allowing West to score.
A fifth run was plated the next inning, giving Amsterdam a 5-0 lead through three innings. Handsome Monica (Northwest Florida State College) walked and stole second to begin the inning. Reitcheck would retire the next two hitters, but would allow his lone earned run on an infield single by Holdsworth.
The Mohawks threatened again in the fifth inning, putting runners on first and third with no outs. Monica, who had started the inning with the double, was thrown out at the plate and subsequently ejected when he attempted to run over catcher Tom Moore (Saint Rose).
Albany pulled closer in the fifth inning, scoring their only two runs of the game. Michael Bollmer (Louisville) started the inning with a single, and Moore walked to put two runners on. A strikeout and a groundout put two outs on the board, but Bollmer and Moore each moved up a base. Grayson Lewis (Rice) put Albany on the board with a single up the middle, scoring Bollmer and Moore.
The Dutchmen would put runners in scoring position in both the seventh and eighth innings, but could not score against relievers Christian Maldonado (Fulton Montgomery CC) and Kyle Smith (NC State). Maldonado earned the win for the Mohawks, and Smith picked up his fifth save.
Albany relievers Taylor Hoesen (Trinity U.) and Blake Allen (Baylor) worked four scoreless innings for the Dutchmen, keeping Albany within striking distance of the Mohawks.
The Dutchmen will send Pitcher of the Year Nick Cioffi (Towson) to the mound for the final game of the season, needing a win to face Mohawk Valley in the Divisional Playoffs on Friday.
