ALBANY, NY – The Albany Dutchmen (10-3) split a Sunday night doubleheader with the Glens Falls Golden Eagles (10-6), and remain atop the PGCBL and Eastern Division. Glens Falls won the first game 7-6, and Albany stole the second in walk-off fashion, 2-1, thanks to Zach Remillard (Coastal Carolina).
In game one, the Dutchmen got off to a hot start thanks to Andrew Bannon (Skidmore). He only allowed one run in the first four innings, and allowed Albany to get out to a quick 2-1 lead. Anthony Marks (Coastal Carolina) and Brad Noland (North Alabama) hit the first two RBIs for Albany. In fact, Noland stood out in the Dutchmen loss. He went 3-3 and hit two triples.
The 5th inning is where it went all downhill for the Dutchmen. Bannon left the inning with runners on first and second, and Coach Davey brought in Chad Moss (Davidson). Moss gave up a single to load the bases, and then the game broke open. Bryan Ramirez (Texas-Pan American) hit a bases clearing double to give Glens Falls a 4-2 lead, then in the very next at-bat, Ramon Laureano (NE Oklahoma A&M) cracked a two-run homer to give the Golden Eagles a 6-2 lead.
Albany responded in the home half on an RBI groundout by Zach Remillard, but Glens Falls tacked another one on the board in the 6th thanks to a sacrifice fly by Ramirez, and the Golden Eagles led 7-3.
The Dutchmen mounted a comeback in the 7th, but it was not enough. Albany put up three runs on two hits and an error, but Nate Rupiper (Memphis) went down swinging to end the game. Kevin Cowan (William Paterson) got the win for Glens Falls while Moss was dealt the loss.
In game two of the doubleheader, it was more of the same for Albany. An early lead squandered, but this time the Dutchmen wouldn’t let it get away.
Albany scored in the bottom of the first on an RBI single by Joe Purritano (Dartmouth), but the bats went silent after that. Glens Falls starting pitcher Jake Matthys then retired eight straight Dutchmen batters, and struck out seven before his night was through.
Glens Falls tied it up in the 4th on an RBI single from Raphael Gladu (Galveston College) off of Dylan Collett (Keene State), but that would be it for the Golden Eagles. Ben Seabrook (North Alabama) entered in relief of Collett and tossed an inning and a third of one hit ball, and earned the win.
In the bottom of the 7th, the come-from-behind kids did it again. With one out, Jack Wietlispach (Niagara) reached on an error, and then Chris Bianchi (Trinity) reached on another Glens Falls error! With pinch-hitter Zach Remillard stepping up, it was time for the second-year Dutchmen star to shine. He sent a fastball right up the middle and scored Wietlispach for the walk-off Dutchmen win, 2-1.
With the win, Albany snapped a two-game losing streak, and improved to 10-3 on the young season.
The Dutchmen have the day off Monday, and return to action Tuesday at Utica. Albany then returns home to Bob Bellizzi Field on Wednesday, June 26th to take on the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs. On “Winning Wednesdays,” a Dutchmen win equals a free ticket to the next Albany home game! First pitch is set for 7:05 PM.
