GUILDERLAND — The way the Guilderland baseball team has been scoring runs recently, the 11 it scored in Friday’s game looks like their in a hitting slump.

After scoring 18 and 19 runs in their last two games, the Dutchmen only managed to score 11 against Mohonasen to post an 11-2 win at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium on the campus of Hudson Valley Community College in Troy.
"We spend a lot of time on hitting," said Guilderland Coach Doug LaValley. "The kids have a good approach to it. It’s nice to score runs. It makes the pitcher know that he doesn’t have to be perfect. He has a little more margin for error."

In Friday’s game, Guilderland pitcher Nick Polsinelli didn’t need his team to score 11 runs.

Polsinelli gave up just two runs on four hits and struck out 10 Mohonasen batters. Polsinelli also committed the only Guilderland error in the contest. He made a bad throw to first base in the seventh inning when the Dutch already had a big lead.
"Nick pitched a good game," LaValley said. "He’s a quality pitcher. He threw 90-something pitches and had 73 going into the seventh. The last inning was his worse."

The win clinched a playoff spot for the Dutch as they earned their seventh win in the Suburban Council. Teams have to finish with at least a .500 record in league play to qualify for the sectionals.

After playing Niskayuna on Monday, and dropping a 9-6 decision, and finishing a suspended game against Saratoga, which they won, 13-8, on Tuesday, the Dutchmen have just two league games left — against Shenendehowa and Averill Park.
"It’s great we got into sectionals," Polsinelli said. "But we have to continue to do the job. We have to play for seeding."

Polsinelli also swung a big bat for the Dutch. He aided in the Dutch’s 14-hit attack with three hits — single, double, and triple.

Big inning

The big inning for the Dutchmen was the second as they scored four runs to take the lead.

Kevin Doherty led off the frame with a single. He then stole second base to move himself into scoring position.

After a flyout to left field by Andrew Simpson, Polsinelli singled to drive in Doherty and put the Dutch on the scoreboard.

Mike Goldstein then hit a bloop single that moved Polsinelli to third base. Goldstein attempted to steal second base and, when Mohonasen’s catcher threw to second, Polsinelli broke for home and scored. Goldstein was also safe on the play.

A groundout to third base by Joe Lima gave the Dutch two outs, but the next hitter, Bill Rafferty, singled. Goldstein beat the throw home to make the score 3-0. Rafferty advanced to second on the throw home and easily scored on Reid Moreland’s single.

Moreland stole second base but was stranded there when Ben Henderson struck out to end the inning.

The Dutch took advantage of three Mohonasen errors in the third inning to score three runs.

With one out, Doherty singled and scored on a wild pitch later in the inning. Simpson reached first on an error, advanced to second on an error, and ran to third on the wild pitch.

Polsinelli reached on an infield single and would advance to second on a balk by the Mohonasen pitcher. Simpson scored on the balk to make the tally 6-0. Polsinelli would later score on an RBI single by Lima.

Mohonasen scored its two runs in the top half of the fourth, but Guilderland answered with one in the bottom of that frame.

Henderson singled and scored on Jake Colavito’s single.

Guilderland tacked on three more runs in the bottom of the sixth to round out the scoring.

Henderson doubled and scored on Colavito’s triple that almost left the ball park for a home run. Simpson hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to allow Colavito to score.

Polsinelli then tripled and scored on an error to finish off the scoring.

"Good things"

The Dutchmen beat Bethlehem, 18-4, with 17 hits on May 1 and beat Saratoga, 19-3, on April 27, and beat Ballston Spa, 11-0, on April 28. The Dutch also edged out Shaker, 10-8, on April, 26.
This is the best hitting team I’ve ever had," LaValley said. "We do a lot of good things. We run well, we throw [pitch] it well, and we have a decent defense. We’ve got a good team."

The Dutch also have a young team. There are six seniors on the roster with Doherty, Moreland, Rafferty, and Drew Zanotta seeing most of the action. Steve Blaauboer and Nick Stark see some time off the bench.

There are three sophomores on the roster who get considerable playing time.

But the Dutch seem ready to make a run for a sectional title now.
"We have tons of potential," Polsinelli said. "Next year, most everybody returns, but there is no reason why we can’t get it done this year."