The Albany Dutchmen missed an opportunity move up in the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League standings.
Watertown put together a pair of two-run rallies on its way to a 5-2 victory over Albany Friday at Bob Bellizzi Field. The loss prevented the Dutchmen (17-19) from moving into a virtual tie for fifth place with Oneonta (19-19) after Mohawk Valley edged the Outlaws 5-4.
Albany’s biggest problem was getting hits with runners in scoring position. The Dutchmen had three chances to drive in runs with runners on second or third, only to come up short.
`We did enough to win this ballgame,` said Albany manager Nick Davey. `We just didn’t come up with the timely hits.`
Watertown (16-22) got its bats going in the top of the third inning. Left fielder Donald Walter followed up a leadoff walk to designated hitter Conor Dishman with a double to right field to drive in the game’s first run. Second baseman Derek Hagy then doubled home Walter for a 2-0 Wizards lead.
Albany struggled against Watertown starting pitcher Nick Bradley until the bottom of the fourth inning. With two outs, catcher Will Remillard singled for the Dutchmen’s first hit. Designated hitter Ryan Gasporra then launched a double off the center field wall to bring in Remillard and cut Watertown’s lead in half.
First baseman Ben Douglas followed with a single to get Gasporra to third, but third baseman Jared Martin flied out to right-center field to end Albany’s rally.
After his shaky third inning, Albany starter Kasciem Graham held Watertown in check until the top of the sixth. Right fielder Cole Gleason led off with a single and reached second on a wild pitch. A groundout moved Gleason to third, and shortstop Peter Rajkovich singled him home to put the Wizards ahead 3-1.
Davey lifted Graham following Rajkovich’s single, but not before the University at Albany junior turned in a solid performance. Graham allowed three runs on five hits, walked four and struck out eight in 5.1 innings of work.
`He did enough to win the ballgame. We just didn’t do enough behind him,` Davey said of Graham.
Albany had a chance to get back in the game in the bottom of the sixth inning. Shortstop Adam Young reached second on a throwing error, but only got as far as third base following back-to-back flyouts from Zach and Will Remillard. Gasporra walked, but Douglas struck out to end the threat.
A similar series of events unfolded in the bottom of the seventh. Martin led off the inning with a single, and left fielder Cody Ellis worked a one-out walk. The two runners moved up on center fielder Nolan Gaige’s groundout, but Young popped out to end the inning.
Not scoring in the seventh inning proved to be costly for Albany. Gleason and Rajkovich each drove in runs in the top of the eighth inning to increase Watertown’s lead to 5-1.
Albany mounted one more rally in the bottom of the eighth. Zach Remillard doubled to lead off the inning, and older brother Will Remillard followed with a single to put runners on the corners. Just as he did in the fourth inning, Gasporra drilled a ball to the deepest part of the ballpark. This time, though, Watertown center fielder Brandon Cipolla got under the fly ball and caught it. Zach Remillard scored on the play to cut the deficit to 5-2, but the Dutchmen drew no closer than that.
`I was just trying to square up (on the ball),` said Gasporra. `But this time, it didn’t get there.`
`You’ve got to give credit to their center fielder. He got back there and made the out,` said Davey.
Albany will try to end its two-game losing streak Saturday when it travels to Watertown to complete a home-and-home series with the Wizards. The Dutchmen’s next home game is Monday against league-leading Amsterdam.
