In a contest dominated by the starting pitchers, the Dutchmen were able to come out on top 2-1. Kasceim Graham (UAlbany) rebounded from surrendering his only extra-base hit to the first batter of the night and pitched eight innings giving up five hits, walking zero, striking out six, and allowing just one run. Evan Davis (Marist) also had a strong outing for the Diamond Dawg’s but was unable to outdo his counterpart, conceding eight hits, two runs (one earned), in seven and two-thirds innings.

Graham raised his record to 2-2 while Davis saw his fall to 0-3. Trevor Lacosse (Bryant) picked up his eighth save of the season and has allowed zero runs in his 21.2 innings of work this season.

Tyler Heck (Union) led off the game for the Diamond Dawgs with a double down the left field line. He came around to score on back-to-back fly outs to deep right field by Chris Cruz (Cornell) and David Del Grande (Sacramento State) to put Mohawk Valley up 1-0. From that point forward Graham was unsolvable, allowing just one hit in his last five innings of work and not allowing a runner to advance beyond first base after the second inning.

The 1-0 edge held up until the bottom of the fifth when the Dutchmen responded with a run of their own. A double with one out by Greg Pezzuto (Southern New Hampshire) put him in position to score on a single to center with two outs by Adam Young (UC Davis). However, the RBI opportunity would never have come up if not for the hustling effort of Mike Triller (Clemson). With two outs and Pezzuto on second, Triller hit a slow roller down the first base line and was able to leg out a single, beating the covering Davis to the bag and extending the inning.

The Dutchmen continued their momentum in the bottom of the sixth and to take the lead for good. Will Remillard (Coastal Carolina) singled up the middle on the first pitch on the first pitch he saw and advanced a base during each of the next two at-bats, both slow groundouts to second. A passed ball led to the Dutchmen scoring the unearned run on just one hit in the inning.

Young recorded two singles and an RBI, Jon Mestas (Buffalo) reached base three times, and Pezzuto doubled, walked, and scored a run in the Dutchmen’s winning effort. Seven of the nine Mohawk Valley starters reached base but only Heck was able to come around to score.

Albany takes on the Diamond Dawgs again tomorrow, this time in Mohawk Valley, looking to close the gap on the final playoff spot with just six games left to play in the regular season. The Dutchmen currently sit 1.5 games out with a 20-21 record behind Oneonta and Mohawk Valley who are tied for 4th place at 22-20.