Baseball Rallies For Split At NYIT
BOX ONE I BOX TWO
OLD WESTBURY, N.Y. -- Edged 4-3 in 11 innings, the University at Albany baseball team rallied for an 8-3 victory in Tuesday's nightcap to split the non-conference series with NYIT. The Great Danes now hold a 12-20 overall record, while NYIT is 12-23.
In the opener, the Bears took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first, stringing together a leadoff single and Louis Mele's sacrifice fly.
However, the Danes tied it up in the third as Will Miller drew a walk and scored on Alex Lushkevich's single to left.
In the seesawing contest, NYIT regained the lead in the fourth on another sacrifice fly, only to have UAlbany quickly take it back in the fifth. With two outs, Lushkevich belted a solo home run to tie the ballgame, and after loading the bases on a pair of walks and Matt Hinchy's single through the right side, Eric Mueller knocked an RBI single to center for a 3-2 advantage.
A slated seven-inning game, the Bears evened the score again in the bottom of the sixth with three hits. Despite loading the bases in the seventh, UAlbany was unable to push across a run.
It wasn't until the bottom of the 11th inning that NYIT broke the stalemate, combining a single, an error, and a fielder's choice to set up Anthony Caradonna's walk-off single to right.
NYIT's Nicholas Smith (2-1) earned the win, throwing 4.1 scoreless and hitless frames to end the game.
Reliever Terry Dugdale (1-2) took the loss, allowing an unearned run and two hits in the final 2.2 innings. J.T. Genovese threw the opening five innings, allowing three runs and six hits, while striking out six in the outing. Out of the pen, Joey Moore had another solid appearance, holding NYIT without a hit or a run in three frames.
In the nightcap, the Great Danes struck first, scoring two runs in the top of the first, taking advantage of five walks.
NYIT got one run back in the bottom half of the inning, using a walk and a sacrifice fly.
However, UAlbany continually built its lead throughout the game, scoring a run in the second, using three more walks and Mueller's RBI hit by pitch.
In the third, the Danes stretched their lead to five, 7-2, plating four unearned runs. Hinchy led off with a single through the left side, Karson Canaday walked, and Will Miller's misplayed ball brought in both runners. With two outs, Shawn Blake and Mueller knocked back-to-back RBI singles to cap the inning.
In the fifth, Mueller added another RBI single, plating Miller who reached on a walk. NYIT scored one last run in the bottom half of the fifth before the game was called off early.
Cameron Sorgie (1-4) earned the win for UAlbany, allowing three runs (one earned) and three hits, while striking out four in the full game.
Michael Sinnott (0-3) took the loss, allowing three runs, no hits, and seven walks in one inning of work.
Offensively, the Danes totaled five hits in the win led by Mueller's 2-for-2 effort with three runs batted in.
Up next, UAlbany returns to America East Conference play, hosting UMass Lowell Saturday and Sunday at Varsity Field.
