The Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League released their 2016 schedule last week, announcing that the sixth season of PGCBL action will begin on June 1, and will crown a champion during the second week of August. During the eighth season of Dutchmen baseball, fans can expect numerous intriguing matchups, both at Bellizzi Field and on the road.
June 1- Albany Dutchmen at Amsterdam Mohawks- For the first time since 2011, the Albany Dutchmen will begin a PGCBL season away from Bellizzi Field. The Dutchmen will spend Opening Day at Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam against the rival Mohawks. In four of the five previous PGCBL seasons, the Dutchmen have defeated the Mohawks in the team’s first meeting.
June 2- Glens Falls Dragons at Albany Dutchmen- The Dutchmen home opener features the rekindling of one of the league’s fiercest rivalries. The Dragons won the Subway Summer Series a year ago, but the Dutchmen won each of the final three meetings to claim a PGCBL Playoffs spot.
June 3- Oneonta Outlaws at Albany Dutchmen- After a four-year absence from the league, the Oneonta Outlaws return to Albany, where they have never lost. The Dutchmen are 0-5 in franchise history against the Outlaws in the Capital City.
June 13- Victor RailRiders at Albany Dutchmen- Victor and Albany meet just once in the 2016 campaign, a Monday evening contest played at Bellizzi Field. The RailRiders won the PGCBL West Division title in 2015, their inaugural season.
June 25- Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs at Albany Dutchmen- The defending PGCBL champions make their first journey to Albany in 2016 on June 25. The Diamond Dawgs have eliminated the Dutchmen two straight seasons, despite the Dutchmen winning the season series in 2015.
July 3- Albany Dutchmen at Geneva Red Wings- Albany will play the Red Wings of Geneva for the first time, despite playing together in the NYCBL in 2009 and 2010. It will also be the first journey to McDonough Park for the Dutchmen.
July 4- Albany Dutchmen at Saugerties Stallions- The Dutchmen will play on the Fourth of July for just the second time in franchise history, and the first time as a member of the PGCBL. Last season, the Stallions drew a large crowd for their Fourth of July game.
July 13- Albany Dutchmen at Oneonta Outlaws- For the first time in nearly four years, the Dutchmen will venture to Damaschke Field in Oneonta to face the Outlaws. The last meeting in Oneonta is also the only Dutchmen win in the eleven-game series.
July 20- PGCBL All-Star Game- The brightest stars in the PGCBL will gather for the league’s sixth All-Star Game. The location of the Midsummer Classic will be released later in the offseason. Last season’s All-Star Game was held in Little Falls, and was won by the East Division, 18-2.
July 31- Albany Dutchmen at Amsterdam Mohawks- The regular season concludes on the final day in July, in the same location in which the season starts. In two of the last three seasons, the Dutchmen have needed a win on the final day of the season to clinch a playoff berth.
Ticket information for the 2016 season will be released soon, as well as other exciting announcements throughout the coming months!
