ALBANY — Under the lights for its Senior Night, Guilderland could muster only one hit against Columbia.

Pitcher Maddie Burns mixed the speed and location of her pitches well, throwing off the timing of the Guilderland batters. Guilderland’s lone single came off the bat of senior Eileen Seery in the third inning.

“Hitting makes all the difference,” Dutch Head Coach Lou Marino said after the 5-to-0 loss at Cathy Cummings Haker Field, which is home to Saint Rose’s softball team. “If we could hit the ball better…”

Tuesday’s game was a defensive showcase; the fielders from both Guilderland and Columbia were on their toes. But the Blue Devils were able to pad its lead in the top of the seventh inning when Jennah Hogan hit a two-RBI opposite field double that clipped the inside of the foul line.

When Guilderland came up to bat in the bottom of the seventh, the crowd was calm, and there didn’t seem to be much energy in the air after Madison Harrigan grounded out. Then, Burns got both Francesca Cusato and Seery to strike out to end the game; Seery missed on all three of her swings.

Torie Rathwell, Guilderland’s excellent pitcher and hitter, said that the Dutch were thrilled to be playing on such a nice field. “We were really pumped,” she said. “We played well.”

Despite the lack of offense, Marino said that Guilderland never gave up. “Defensively, we played very well,” he added. “Their heads were in the game, but we just got beat.”

Rathwell displayed great reflex on a hard line drive hit by Columbia’s Danielle DiNovo in the sixth inning as the pitcher caught the ball on a dime next to her left ear. In the seventh, Rathwell made another great play, this time moving quickly to her left to make the out.

“You have to try to pitch around them while trusting the defense behind you,” Rathwell said. “I’m ready when the ball comes. I’m waiting for it.”

^{_{Laying off? Guilderland’s Nicole Fyvie checks her swing during Tuesday’s game against Columbia under the lights at Cathy Cummings Haker Field in Albany. It was Guilderland’s Senior Night, and the Dutch lost, 5 to 0. The Enterprise — Michael Koff}}

Columbia is a team that has a lot of chemistry. Marino told The Enterprise that three Suburban  Council teams — Columbia, Shenendehowa, and Averill Park — have just one loss this season.

Guilderland is 5-7 in the Suburban, and 6-10 overall. The Dutch lost previously to the Blue Devils, 8 to 3, but Marino said that Guilderland played much better in the rematch on Tuesday.

“We’re going up against dominant teams,” Marino concluded. “But it’s just another game because they’re all important.”

^{_{With eyes set on first base, Ali Reiner fields the softball at second base for Guilderland as she readies her throw on Tuesday night. The Dutch lost to Columbia, and are now 5-7 in the Suburban Council. The Enterprise — Michael Koff}}