The Dutchmen congratulate each other after an 11-1 win at Amsterdam.
June 13th, 2017
Amsterdam, NY: Following a rain delayed start to the game, the Albany Dutchmen (5-2) used a dominant performance in all facets of the game to make a statement in an 11-1 win over the defending champion Amsterdam Mohawks (5-3).
The game remained tight until the 6th inning, when the Dutchmen used timely hitting and poor defense by the Mohawks to chase a tiring Tim Anderson (Binghamton). After walking Zach Durfee (Siena) with two outs to load the bases, Anderson allowed a bloop single by Trace Tyre (Ole Miss) just past the outstretched glove of shortstop Danny Coleman (Hudson Valley C.C.) which plated two runners to make the score 4-1 and ended Anderson’s day. After relief pitcher Carter Knapek (Umass) walked Nick Estrella (Azusa Pacific) to re-load the bases, Coleman bobbled Brandt Holland’s (North Alabama) ground ball, resulting in an error and Durfee coming in to score. Knapek then uncorked a wild pitch that allowed Decker to come in to score and make it 6-1 in favor of the Dutchmen.
The Dutchmen were not finished after the 6th. After there were two outs and only one runner on base in the 8th against Knapek, the Dutchmen strung together three consecutive hits, including two doubles, to put three more runs on the board and blow the game open.
Albany added two more runs in the 9th inning against Nick Chiseri (UConn) on a two-run double by Justin Decker (Dominican), who finished his night with four hits in five at bats and four RBI.
In addition to their prolific offensive performance, the Dutchmen turned in another solid outing from their bullpen. After Daniel Fisher (Louisville) left following three and two-thirds innings with six walks, Jeff Lonnecker (Trinity), Jeremiah Burke (Georgetown), and Mac Welsh (Louisville) combined for five and one-thirds innings of scoreless baseball, striking out four, only allowing three hits, and not walking a batter. Lonnecker, Burke, and Welsh combined to retire the last eight Mohawk batters of the game.
Amsterdam scored their only run of the game in the 1st inning off of Fischer on a run-scoring groundout from TJ Collett (Kentucky).
It was a balanced performance up and down the lineup for the Dutchmen as eight out of the nine members of their starting lineup recorded at least one base hit and all ten position players who appeared in the game reached base at least once.
With the win Albany improved to 5-2 on the season to take over first place in the PGCBL East Division, as they surpassed Amsterdam, who dropped to 5-3.
Not only was it a big day for the current Dutchmen players, it was also a big day for former Dutchmen second baseman Ernie Clement (Virginia), who was drafted in 4th round of the MLB draft by the Cleveland Indians and pitcher Kyle Zurak (Radford), who was drafted in the 8th round of the draft by the New York Yankees. Both Clement and Zurak played for the Dutchmen during the 2014 season.
Up next for the Dutchmen is a trip to Donovan Stadium to take on the Utica Blue Sox tomorrow night at 6:30 P.M. The next home game for the Dutchmen is on Thursday night at 5:05 P.M., which is NYSPHSAA High School Student Athlete Night and also features giveaways from the American Dairy Association.
