The score remained the same until the bottom of the fourth, when Phoenix Hernandez (Southern New Hampshire) hit a solo home run off Dutchmen starter James Rubino (HVCC) to tighten the deficit to three.
Rubino earned the win for Albany. He pitched five innings and allowed a run on three hits with three walks and five strikeouts. Tom Taplin (Georgetown) took the loss for the Dragons. The starter pitched six innings and surrendered four runs, three earned, on three hits. The righty pitcher allowed one walk and had seven strikeouts. He faced the minimum through his final four and a third innings of work, allowing just one batter to reach on a walk.
The Dragons cut the Dutchmen lead to two in the sixth when Josh Arndt (Cornell) doubled and later scored from second on a passed ball. Albany answered with one in the eighth inning when Cameron Masterman (Louisville) singled in Collett who reached on a walk.
Collett finished 0-for-2 but scored two runs and walked. Masterman and Lopez were each 1-for-4 with a run scored.
The Dragons scored an unearned run in the bottom of the eighth, but the Dutchmen’s lone reliever on the evening, Dylan D’Anna (Siena) pitched a 1-2-3 bottom of the ninth to earn the save. D’Anna pitched four innings and allowed two runs, one earned, with four strikeouts. He surrendered two hits and two walks.
The Dutchmen will travel to Saugerties Tuesday to face the Stallions in an inner-division matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05.
