Pitcheralle and Rowland Lead the University of Albany Over Vermont, 10-4, in America East Baseball Action

Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information

Albany, N.Y. – Gary Pitcheralle and Brendan Rowland combined for six hits and seven runs batted in to lead UAlbany to a 10-4 America East Conference baseball win on Friday, April 25 at Varsity Field.

Vermont (18-15, AE 4-5) opened the game with a run on three hits in the first inning. Matt Duffy doubled with one out and scored two batters later on a single up the middle by Justin Milo. UAlbany answered back in the bottom of the second with two runs. Senior first baseman Mike Konstanty led off the frame with a blast over the wall in left field. Sophomore third baseman Pete Eichner then drew a walk and scored after a pair of outs on a single through the left side by Pitcheralle.

The Catamounts regained the lead in the top of the fourth with two unearned runs. Mark Micowski was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to force in Jeff Nolet, who reached on a leadoff single. Duffy followed with a groundout to score Corey Moylan, who drew a walk to reach base. The Great Danes responded again with two runs on three hits in the bottom of the inning. Junior catcher Ryan Gugel and Konstanty started the frame with consecutive singles. After a strikeout, senior Tom Zink singled through the left side to plate Gugel. With the bases loaded following a walk, Pitcheralle was hit by a pitch to force home Konstanty.

Vermont knotted the score at four apiece in the sixth with an unearned run. With one out, Kyle Massie reached on a throwing error, stole second and advanced to third on another throwing error. Brad Currier then singled up the middle to tie the game. UAlbany took the lead for good in the bottom of the sixth. Following back-to-back singles to right field by Zink and freshman second baseman Kyle Crean, Pitcheralle laced a double down the left field line to clear the bases.

UAlbany (10-29-1, AE 5-8) tacked on four runs over the last two innings to put the game out of reach. In the seventh, Rowland doubled down the left field line to open the inning. After a fly and a walk, Eichner reached on a fielding error to allow Rowland to race home from second. Rowland capped the game’s scoring in the eighth inning with a three-run homer over the left field fence in left.

Junior southpaw Cory Warrings tossed the opening 5.2 innings for the Great Danes, allowing four runs (one earned) and striking out four. Junior Sean Gregory picked up his third win of the season by retiring all ten batters he faced, including three by strikeout. Joe Serafin took the loss for the Catamounts, yielding seven runs (six earned) over seven innings.

The Great Danes and the Catamounts resume their four-game series on Saturday at 12:00 with a pair of seven inning contests.
-agate-
Vermont (18-15, AE 4-5) 100 201 000 - 4 6 1
UAlbany (10-29-1, AE 5-8) 020 202 13X - 10 13 3

Vermont: Joe Serafin (L, 4-3), Nate Matusick (8) and Jeff Nolet.
UAlbany: Cory Warrings, Sean Gregory (W, 3-4) and Ryan Gugel.