GUILDERLAND — The Guilderland baseball team has hit a mid-season funk and Coach Doug LaValley believes his team will come out of it.

After last weekend’s games, the Dutchmen have a 5-5 overall record and a 3-2 mark in the Suburban Council.

“We had a tough weekend,” LaValley said on Monday. “Yesterday, I threw some JV guys. We hit the ball really well. We’ll figure it out. We just need our pitchers to throw good games.”

The Dutchmen lost on Friday to Massapequa of Long Island, 13-10. Massapequa is the number-one ranked team in the state.

In that contest, the Dutchmen pitchers struggled with their control and the Chiefs took advantage.

Guilderland starter Jason Westervelt, a senior heading to pitch at West Virginia University next year, gave up five walks in the second inning that led to seven Massapequa runs. He walked three consecutive batters that led to a grand slam by Mike Mandarino.

“It was just one inning,” LaValley said of Friday’s game. “Out of 11 total walks, six or seven scored. With games coming up on the weekend, we needed him to pitch through it. He had to give us four innings.”

The Dutch were solid in the field and swung the bats well against Massapequa, even without one of their top players.

Clean-up hitter and College of Saint Rose bound Andrew Simpson was injured in Friday’s loss to Columbia and missed the games over the weekend.

“I’ve had more injuries this year than I ever had since coming here,” LaValley said. “We are not 100 percent by no means. Guys are getting healthier and starting to play.”

“A little lackadaisical”

Massapequa led 9-2 in the fourth inning, but the Dutch chipped away at the lead.

Guilderland scored one run in the bottom half of the fourth frame and three in the bottom half of the fifth that made the score 12-6. The Dutch scored two more runs in the sixth inning and answered one Massapequa run with two in the bottom of the seventh, making the game close.

Senior lead-off hitter and center fielder Nick Ranalli scored three runs in the contest. He hit a solo home run and hit a single for the Dutch.

Steven Anderson scored two runs as did Pat Quinn. Jimmy Quinn doubled and scored a run.

LaValley was also not pleased with the way his team started the game even though the Dutch got two runs in the first inning.

“I thought we could’ve come with more intensity,” the coach said. “We didn’t get into the game until the fourth and fifth inning when we thought we had a chance. The only thing I want, is for my players to give a 100-percent effort.

“I’m not sure we gave a lot of effort on Saturday,” LaValley added. “We were a little lackadaisical. Our schedule is tough. But that is what we want. We want to be challenged. We haven’t played a complete game yet.”

Mixed results

Guilderland dropped an 18-10 decision to Columbia at the LaSalle Wood Bat Tournament on Sunday. The Dutchmen lost to LaSalle, 7-2, on Saturday.

The Dutchmen also lost to Columbia, 11-7, on Thursday on a seventh-inning grand slam by Patrick Puentes.

“Thursday, we came out with intensity,” LaValley said. “It was a good game, but then we get the injury [to Simpson]. That was a good baseball game for high school. The best player we’ve seen all year and one of the best in the league got us.”

The Dutchmen did beat rival Colonie, 5-4, last Tuesday.

“We had 10 walks in that game,” LaValley said. “We were fortunate to win that game. We need to put a game altogether.”

The Dutchmen’s game against Niskayuna was postponed until Tuesday due to rain.

The Dutch probably could use a day off as they prepare for the second half of the season and fix what ails them.

“I think we need to get some pitching to make a turn for the better,” LaValley said. “They have to rely more on the defense and that will help shut them down. But it’s not all the pitchers. We still have to make plays behind them.”

“Big games coming up”

The Dutch hosted Saratoga on Wednesday and then travel downstate to play in the Clarkstown South Tournament. Guilderland plays Totenville of Staten Island in the opening round. The Dutch also have games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday.

“We have some pretty big games coming up,” LaValley said.

Three of the losses this week were in non-league games. LaValley hopes his team has learned from them as it prepares for a big stretch of league contests coming up.

“We didn’t play those games to lose,” LaValley said. “I would rather play like this now, than later.”