A big fifth inning was the beginning of a hitting barrage for the Saugerties Stallions, as the Stallions scored four in the fifth frame, and went on to claim a 10-1 victory Saturday over the Albany Dutchmen at Cantine Field in the first ever meeting between the two teams.
The first five Stallions reached base in the fifth inning on three doubles and two singles. Dylan Sprague (Farleigh Dickinson) drove in the first run of the game on a double that scored Jack Holden (Lincoln Trail College). Sprague would then score on a double from Clint Hardy (Georgia Regents), and the third run scored on a single from Micah Riddick (SUNY Ulster) that plated John Novenche (St. Bonaventure). The final run scored on a double play ball, allowing Hardy to come across the plate.
The Dutchmen threatened in the top of the sixth inning, as walks to Slayton Vaughan (Oral Roberts), Tyler Nelin (George Mason), and Jesse Cooper (Seton Hill) loaded the bases. However, Saugerties reliever John Hooker (College of St. Rose) induced a first-pitch pop pot, keeping the Stallions ahead by four runs.
Sprague would add to his accolades in the sixth inning, as he drove in Chris Russo (Iona) with a two-out single to give the Stallions a 5-0 lead. Sprague reached base four times on the game, including three hits.
Saugerties would continue their scoring in the bottom of the seventh, as Hardy would reach on an error, steal second base, take third on an error, and score on a groundout to first.
Albany’s lone run of the game was scored in the top of the eighth inning. Vaughan came just short of hitting a ball out of Cantine Field, doubling off the left field wall. Vaughan would then score on a Nelin single, but the Dutchmen would be unable to score again in the eighth.
The scoring concluded in the bottom of the eighth inning for the Stallions, as Saugerties put four more on the board in their final at-bat, led by a two-run double by Novenche. The four-inning surge ended with 15 hits on the board for the Stallions.
Austin Von Herbulis (College of St. Rose) earned the win for the Stallions, going five innings with three strikeouts and three hits allowed. Gavin Wallace (Fairfield) took the loss after four-plus innings on the mound.
A bright spot for the Dutchmen was Jack Weiller (Virginia). Weiller made several stellar plays at shortstop, and reached base three times with two hits.
The Dutchmen are back in action Sunday evening for a 5:05 game with the Amsterdam Mohawks. Sunday is the team’s annual Muscular Dystrophy Fundraiser, which will include a huge raffle with a 40-inch HDTV, a Yogi Berra and Don Larsen signed lithograph, four Yankee tickets, and much more. It is also Family Funday, which also includes four tickets and four hot dogs for $14 and the ability for kids to run the bases.
