The Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs (7-17) hosted the the Albany Dutchmen (9-14) in a twin bill at Veterans Memorial Park. The two PGCBL East Division rivals split the doubleheader with Mohawk Valley winning the first game 11-10 and the Dutchmen winning game two 5-1.

The DiamondDawgs drew first blood in game one, scoring three runs on four base hits, including a two-run dinger by catcher Bryan Bleakley (New Jersey Institute of Technology) off Dutchmen starter Chase Tokunaga (Feather River).

After three more Mohawk Valley runs, the Dutchmen bats came alive in the 4th inning. A leadoff walk by Dain McNabb (Middle Tennessee State) came back to haunt Mohawk Valley starter Selby Brummett (Paradise Valley C.C.).  McNabb scored after Steve Anderson (Georgetown) hit a deep fly to right that advanced him to third, and a single by Anthony Turgeon (Central Connecticut State) drove him home.  Will Remillard (Temple) then hit a deep shot over the left field wall for a two-run homer, his second of the year, to cut the Mohawk Valley lead in half, 6-3.

After another DiamondDawg run, the Dutchmen strung together three straight singles by Andrew Deeds (Morehead State), Turgeon, and Remillard to cut the deficit to 7-4 after five innings.

 The DiamondDawgs’ bats continued to add runs after designated hitter, Dave Soltis (Bryant) drew a walk scoring Fasolo, and Bleakley then poked a single over the third basemen’s right side scoring Monagle and Wacker giving Mohawk Valley a 9-4 lead.

Albany refused to go down without a fight.  In the top of the 7th inning, the Dutchmen’s Steve Anderson hit a deep sacrifice fly to center that scored Joey Boney (Cyrpess), who had reached on a fielder’s choice.  Mohawk Valley’s Selby Brummett would be replaced by Willie Gabay (Herkimer County C.C.) after hitting three of the last four batters he faced, one forcing in the second Albany run of the inning.  Gabay inherited the bases loaded with two outs and was unable to close out the game.  The Dutchmen pushed six across the plate to tie the score at 10 apiece.  Singles by Trinkwon, Boney and McNabb were the catalysts.

The Dutchmen however would fall just short after the DiamondDawgs plated the winning run in the seventh inning to give them an 11-10 victory.

The second game of the doubleheader was a much calmer affair.  The Dutchmen scored two runs in the third inning when the DiamondDawgs’ starter, Tyler Kane (Washington), bobbled a bunt up the middle by Brandon Trinkwon (UC Santa Barbara) and then proceeded to throw the recovered ball into centerfield.

Albany added to their lead in the top of the sixth when Andrew Deeds (Morehead State) stroked a triple and scored on Dain McNabb’s (Middle Tennessee State) single.  In the seventh, the Dutchmen scored their final two runs after Nikko Echevarria smashed a triple down the left field line sending Garren Palmer (Georgia Southern) and Matt Wehrli (Yavapai) home.

 Albany’s starter, Preston Hill (Chandler-Gilbert C.C.) went the distance, giving up one earned run on four hits while walking one and striking out 10. The Dawgs’ Kane went six innings, gave up six hits, six runs (three earned) and struck out seven.

The Dutchmen will take on the Amsterdam Mohawks tonight at 7 p.m. inside Bob Bellizzi Field. For all Dutchmen information visit www.dutchmenbaseball.com or follow us @DutchmenPGCBL.