ALBANY — Giving up five runs to Albany Academy in the first inning of Monday’s game put Voorheesville in a precarious position.

Voorheesville had just stockpiled 20 hits over its first two games of the season — both wins — so the Birds’ one sole hit on Monday seemed especially out of character. Brooks Knapek’s pitching wasn’t amazing for the Cadets, but he threw well enough to keep the Blackbirds at bay.

Albany Academy won, 10 to 0, scoring in each of the first five innings. After that fifth inning, the mood surrounding Voorheesville felt bleak.

“It wasn’t a good day,” said Zach Childs, who gave up six earned runs and walked five in two innings pitched for Voorheesville. “We weren’t prepared, and it starts with throwing strikes.”

Maybe Childs was throwing himself under the bus; he knew that his pitching was mediocre on Monday. He walked the first Cadets’ batter of the day, then Sean Dempsey hit a double, and then he walked another batter to load the bases.

The first inning continued with an RBI single from Carter Knapek, a two-RBI double by Connor Morgan, and an RBI single from Brooks Knapek. Voorheesville Head Coach Kyle Turksi came out to the mound to talk some wisdom into Childs, who then gave up two more walks and a run before finally getting the third out on a pop-up.

“We never really had a chance to play,” Turski said about going down early. “The strategy completely changed. We couldn’t play small ball anymore.”

The Blackbirds are a small-ball team, said Turski, but singles and bunts weren’t going to help much on Monday with so much ground to make up against an astute Albany Academy team.

Upon taking the mound in the second inning, Childs walked Trevor Francesconi, and then had a pitch go wild during the next at bat. Childs never seemed to be too comfortable.

“My slider wasn’t working, and they were timing my fastball well,” said Childs, a senior, who has been a varsity Voorheesville baseball player for four years. “I just didn’t have my stuff; I couldn’t locate.”

With pitches not going his way, Childs told The Enterprise that he was getting frustrated, but tried to think about the next pitch. “It was hard to pitch,” he said.

^{_{Dropping in: Ed Schultz, right, throws a pitch for Voorheesville on Monday at Albany Academy. Schultz, starter Zach Childs, and Ryan Daly each threw two innings for the Blackbirds, which lost, 10 to 0. Voorheesville (2-1) played at Watervliet on Wednesday. The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael}}

Voorheesville’s one hit was off the bat of Alex Paigo, who ripped Brook Knapek’s first pitch of the third inning to center field. Paigo reached third base with two outs, and then David Cardona and Childs both drew walks to load the bases. Just when it looked as if the Birds would be getting a run home, Kristian Singh took strike three without a swing; the pitch looked hittable.

Childs said that Knapek was a good pitcher, “but we could have had a better approach,” he added. “Can’t be looking at called third strikes.”

Voorheesville left the bases lonely for the rest of the game while Albany Academy continued to add to its score. Ed Schultz and Ryan Daly each pitched two innings for the Blackbirds, not faring much better than Childs, who got some redemption by ending the Cadets’ third inning with a great throw from center field to gun down Andrew Edlund at home plate.

“There’s no quit,” said Turski, who tried to pump up his players with that exact phrase before the seventh inning; Connor Morgan struck out three Birds’ batters to end the game. “We’ll always try to chip away if we can,” he said. “Absolutely, Academy was better today, but we’ll have something to say next time.”

When asked if there was any factor of intimidation on Monday, Childs and Turski both said no. Voorheesville and Albany Academy have a fine Colonial Council rivalry. Some of the players know each other from travel baseball in the area.

“We play the best teams,” Turski said. “Colonial Council is one of the best.”

Childs feels good about Voorheesville’s chances this season. The team came painfully close — bases-loaded walk — to a third consecutive sectional title last year, and there are still some players, like Childs, remaining from the two Blackbirds’ teams that competed at States in 2012 and 2013.

“Our demeanor is not down,” said Turski after Monday’s loss. “The leadership here won’t allow for a funk, but opposing pitchers will. The sun comes up tomorrow; we’re going to have a short memory about this one.”

Leading up to this season, Turski said that his team got together without him and set a goal. He would not share with The Enterprise exactly what that goal is, but it’s probably not that hard to figure out.

Simply, Voorheesville wants to win baseball games.

^{_{Forced out: Albany Academy’s Connor Morgan slides into home plate before being called out during the first inning of Monday’s 10-to-0 win over Voorheesville; Will Gallager, right, is catching the ball in his glove for the Blackbirds. The Cadets scored five runs in the first inning. The Enterprise — Jordan J. Michael}}