The Albany Dutchmen split a doubleheader with the Adirondack Trail Blazers, dropping the first game 8-7 and winning the second game 10-1.
In the opening game, Albany struck first, scoring a run in the bottom of the first inning. Sean Aspinall (Azusa Pacific) clubbed a two-out double, and scored on a single from Will Miller (College of the Albemarle).
Adirondack answered with five runs in the top of the third inning. A bases-loaded walk to Alex Lushkevich (UAlbany), a two-run single from Mark Williams (La Salle), a single from Garrett Longhurst and a single from Alex Simone (LaRoche) provided the big inning for the Trail Blazers.
The Dutchmen answered with a big inning of their own in the bottom of the fourth. Justin Brock (Franklin Pierce) took home on a wild pitch to begin the scoring. Will Miller added an RBI single to cut the deficit. Danny Hrbek (Radford) drove in a run with a groundout, and was able to allow Adam Lee (Lipscomb) to advance to third when he evaded a tag at first base on his groundout down the first base line. Lee scored on another wild pitch to tie the game.
The Trail Blazers retook the lead in the top of the fifth. Lushkevich led the inning off with a walk, and scored on a single by Simone with two outs.
The lead was extended to 8-5 in the top of the seventh when Williams slugged a home run over the left field wall.
Albany attempted to rally in the bottom of the seventh. Hrbek singled and Aspinall walked to start the inning. Both players scored, and the Dutchmen had the bases loaded, but could not push the tying or winning run across the plate.
The winning pitcher was John Chalupa (Farleigh Dickinson), and the Dutchmen losing pitcher was Austin Foote (Indiana).
In the nightcap, the Dutchmen dominated in every facet of the game. Justin Curry (Heartland CC) worked four hitless innings, and Hrbek took the combined no-hitter into the sixth inning. Kyle Zurak (Radford) closed the game for Albany, pitching the final inning.
The Dutchmen scored four runs in the second inning to take a lead they would not relinquish. An Aspinall double, a single from Ryan Toomey (Georgetown), a triple to deep centerfield from Will Miller, and a groundout from Dave Vaccaro (Radford) provided the Dutchmen scoring in the inning.
Adirondack scored their lone run in the sixth inning, when RJ Devish (Rutgers) scored on a Dutchmen error.
The game was put out of reach in the bottom of the sixth, when the Dutchmen plated six runs. Will Miller was hit by a pitch to drive in the first inning, and a walk to Vaccaro made it 6-0. Lee’s single extended to lead to seven runs, and another hit-by-pitch — the sixth of the night — gave an RBI to Brock. Nick Jewett (Trinity University) ended the scoring with an RBI fielder’s choice, which also brought in the sixth Dutchmen run on an error.
Curry was the winning pitcher, and Franklin Miller (Hudson Valley CC) took the loss for Adirondack.
The Dutchmen finish their three-game homestand on Monday with a 7:05 game against the Utica Brewers. It is Bark in the Park Night in Albany, where dogs are welcome in the park, and are admitted free. Fans with their dogs will be admitted for one dollar less than usual.
