The Dutchmen Secured a Home Playoff Game After Defeating the Diamond Dawgs 18-3 in a Continuation Game From July 26th Monday Afternoon
July 31st, 2017
LITTLE FALLS, N.Y. - On the final day of the regular season the Dutchmen secured the two seed in the Eastern Division of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League (PGCBL) and a home playoff game Tuesday at Siena Field with first pitch set for 5:05 p.m.
The Dutchmen took down the Diamond Dawgs in a continuation game from July 26th 18-3 and beat the Dawgs again 10-4 in the regularly scheduled contest Monday on the road.
Albany will be facing off against the very same Mohawk Valley team in the one game playoff game Tuesday, a team Albany is 6-0 against this season.
The Dutchmen finished the season winning 10 of 12 games and has surpassed last seasons regular season wins record by five ending with a 33-16 record.
The Dutchmen did not waist much time securing victory number one of the day entering the continuation game with a 6-1 lead in the sixth inning and needing to win just one of the two games to secure the home playoff game Tuesday.
Ryan Steffens (Southern New Hampshire) got the nod to pick things up for Albany and pitched 1.1 scoreless innings while his offense exploded.
In the bottom of the sixth inning the Dutchmen put up eight runs highlighted by a Justin Childers (Ohio Dominican) two run home run and a Nick Gallo (Oklahoma State) two RBI double giving Albany a 15-2 lead.
In the seventh, the Diamond Dawgs put in Nico Ramos (Siena) who is traditionally a catcher and the Dutchmen took advantage tacking on three more runs on a solo shot from Justin Decker (Dominican) and a Nick Estrella (Azusa Pacific) two RBI double.
Nick Bruno (Siena) pitched the final two innings and allowed one run while striking out two to secure the 18-3 victory and a home playoff game Tuesday. The 18 run explosion was one run shy of a team record.
In the regularly scheduled game, the Albany offense did not change much picking things back up in the second inning putting up another eight spot highlighted by a Griffen Herrera (Azusa Pacific) grand slam and a Chase Allen (Limestone) two run shot.
With a cushion to work with, Deavan Phillips (Tampa) cruised through six innings allowing three runs to score and striking out five.
Although the Dutchmen already had four home runs on the day, Monday’s power surge was not done. In the fourth, Adam Elliott (Louisville) hit a solo shot to deep center field and Colin Kaucher (Ohio Dominican) put the cherry on top with an inside the park home run in the eighth.
Jeff Lonnecker (Trinity) replaced Phillips in the seventh and pitched three innings of one run ball to secure the 10-4 win and finalize Albany’s 33-16 record setting regular season.
In Tuesday’s one game playoff, Greg Marino (Stony Brook) will take the mound for Albany. Marino has pitched to a 1.67 ERA this season and will be opposing Jack Fossand (Dartmouth) who has a 4.73 ERA for Mohawk Valley this summer.
Tuesday’s game will mark the Dutchmen’s first ever playoff game at Siena Field, first pitch is set for 5:05 p.m.
Box Score Game One
Box Score Game Two
