Big inning lifts Dutchmen
Guilderland scores five in sixth inning to beat Spartans, stay on top in Suburban
In a world in which every game is virtually a must-win situation, Guilderland found Friday that a combination of strong pitching and small-ball run production was enough, as the Dutchmen topped Burnt Hills-ballston Lake 5-0 in Suburban Council baseball action.
Coach Doug Lavalley’s Dutchmen only managed to score in one inning, but thanks to their ability to string together some walks, a few well-placed bunts, two hits and a couple of Burnt Hills miscues, it was enough to carry the day.
And then there was the pitching of Dan Keaney. The right-hander was in complete control the entire way, striking out 12, allowing just three scattered singles and not walking a batter.
“He hasn’t pitched in a couple of weeks,” said Lavalley. “We try to keep him to about 85 (pitches), but he was throwing easy out there today.”
Burnt Hills only threatened once in the game. With the score tied 0-0 in the bottom of the fifth inning, Luke Zoller reached base when he was hit by a pitch, stole second and got to third on a passed ball with just one out. However, Keaney reached back to strike out the next two Spartans.
In the sixth inning, Burnt Hills got Tim Venditti to second base after a single and stolen base, but Keaney used a
strikeout and infield popout to end the threat.
For the afternoon, five Burnt Hills players struck out twice and only two managed to put the ball in play more than once against Keaney.
While Keaney was keeping Burnt Hills at bay, Guilderland wasn’t having much luck against Spartans hurler Kyle Decresce. The Dutchmen’s only serious threat in the first five innings came in the fourth when Aidan Chrysler led off with a triple to dead center field, but he was tagged out when a squeeze play backfired.
Guilderland also got doubles from Cole Traudt and Nick Mahar, but each time, Decresce worked his way out of trouble.
With the game still scoreless in the top of the sixth inning, Guilderland batted around to score five times to clinch the victory.
Nick Plue and Ty Santabarbara opened the inning with walks, and Chrysler loaded the bases with a bunt single. Two batters later, Mahar brought home two runs with a double and, when Burnt Hills committed a pair of throwing errors on Liam Teague’s bunt, two more runs scored. Traudt added an RBI single to close out the scoring.
Lavalley admitted his team will score anyway it can.
“We like to use our speed, we like to put pressure on the defense,” he said.
The win allows Guilderland, now 11-1 in the league and 12-2 overall, to remain on top of the league standings and stay one of the favorites for the Class AA championship.
Burnt Hills is in a fourway race for third place in the Suburban, but, as a Class A team playing in the mostly Class AA Suburban Council, the Spartans must be seriously considered when the playoffs start.