Blown chances cost the Albany Dutchmen in their quest to make the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League playoffs.
The Dutchmen (20-22) squandered three bases-loaded opportunities in a 4-3 extra-inning loss to the Glens Falls Golden Eagles Sunday at Bob Bellizzi Field.
`We just didn’t come up with a clutch hit tonight,` said Albany coach Nick Davey.
The Dutchmen rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game before Buddy Putnam’s sacrifice fly drove in the game-winning run for Glens Falls (25-20) in the top of the 10th inning off Albany closer Trevor Lacosse.
`I’ll take my chances with Trevor on the mound any day,` Davey said of Lacosse, who took his first loss of the season after posting three wins and eight saves. `That was the first earned run he allowed all season.`
The game took on added significance for the Dutchmen after they had road games against Newark (Thursday) and Mohawk Valley (Saturday) cancelled due to rain. Newark and Mohawk Valley entered Sunday ahead of sixth-place Albany in the PGCBL standings, and any lost games meant the Dutchmen couldn’t directly make up ground on either team.
`You always want to play a full schedule,` said Davey. `That’s why we waited until the last minute to call Saturday’s game. We had just beaten Mohawk Valley (2-1 Friday), and a win Saturday would have gotten us closer to them.`
Instead, Sunday’s loss dropped Albany two games behind fourth-place Oneonta and 1.5 games behind Mohawk Valley in the race for the final PGCBL playoff berth. Second-place Newark (25-19) clinched its playoff berth.
`I wouldn’t say we were stale tonight,` said Davey. `They were the better team.`
Glens Falls got its first three runs in the top of the second inning off Albany starter Blake Smith. Kevin Meyers drove in two runs with a double to center field, and he scored on Putnam’s single.
Smith settled down after Glens Falls’ three-run second inning. The Morehead State right-hander scattered four hits over the next four innings to keep the Golden Eagles off the scoreboard.
Albany’s offense was stuck in neutral until the bottom of the sixth inning. Jon Mestas reached base when he was hit by a pitch to lead off the frame. Mestas then moved to third on Mike Triller’s single and scored on Adam Young’s single.
The Dutchmen had an opportunity to do more damage in the sixth. A walk to Andrew Pezzuto loaded the bases with no outs, but Glens Falls starting pitcher Ryan Peterson escaped the jam by striking out Will Remillard and inducing Ryan Gasporra and Jared Martin into hitting pop foul balls.
That theme continued into the bottom of the seventh inning. Greg Pezzuto walked, and Mestas was hit by another pitch to put runners on first and second with one out. Jordan Keysor entered to relieve Peterson on the mound and got Triller to ground out to first base, which advanced Pezzuto and Mestas. Young walked to load the bases, but Andrew Pezzuto grounded out to end the threat.
Albany pushed across two runs in the bottom of the eighth inning. Remillard walked, reached second on a passed ball and advanced to third on Gasporra’s ground out before scoring on a fielder’s choice to get the Dutchmen within a run. Then, singles by Ben Douglas and Greg Pezzuto chased Keysor. Mestas greeted reliever Ryan Skoubo with a single to left-center field that drove in pinch runner Cody Ellis with the tying run, but Skoubo struck out Triller to end the eighth with a 3-3 tie.
Consecutive one-out, ninth-inning walks to Andrew Pezzuto, Will Remillard and Gasporra gave Albany its third bases-loaded opportunity. But reliever Brandon Matthews struck out Martin and pinch hitter Zach Remillard to keep the score tied at 3-3.
Glens Falls started the 10th inning with back-to-back singles from Mike Vigliarolo and Casey Rodrigue. Meyers laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners, and Vigliarolo beat out Greg Pezzulo’s throw home on Putnam’s fly out to left field to give the Golden Eagles their margin of victory.
Albany will try to keep its slim playoff hopes alive Monday when it travels to first-place Amsterdam.
`We can still do something,` said Davey. `We have to go up there (to Amsterdam) and win that game.`
