While much of the sports world was focused on the Triple Crown and California Chrome winning the Preakness as well as the University of Albany’s lacrosse team’s heartbreaking overtime loss 14-13 to Notre Dame in the NCAA quarterfinals, the Amsterdam Rams varsity baseball team played two games at two locations on the same day. After dropping a 7-2 game to Schenectady on Saturday afternoon, the Rams gave the home town fans a 9-4 win over Gloversville later that evening at Shuttleworth Park.
“They’re good,” AHS head coach Brian Spagnola said when asked how his team was holding up after the long day. “We didn’t play well earlier so I told them how important it was coming back tonight.”
The Rams found themselves in a comeback situation again trailing 2-0 heading into the bottom of the first. A pair of fielding mistakes and a passed ball sandwiched around Brad Mulligan’s double gave Gloversville the lead. However, the Rams would plate two runs of their own in their half of the first without the benefit to a hit. Julian Gallup led off with a walk and Andrew Rouse was hit by a pitch and both would score tying the game at 2-2. Gloversville took the lead in the top of the third with Mulligan driving in Justin Putnam who had doubled leading off the frame. It would be the last lead the visiting team would have as the Amsterdam bats came alive in the bottom of the third.
Rouse was aboard on an outfield error and Jonardi Anil walked setting the stage for the Rams first hit of the game. There were two outs when Kolbie Glionna stepped in and crushed a double to right center field. Rouse and Anil scored and the hits began flowing faster than the high waters of the Chuctununda Creek. Ben Rhodes and Eric Robertshaw followed with RBI singles and the Rams opened up a 6-3 lead.
“That’s been our thing all year,” said coach Spagnola. “We get a few hits or we get a lot. Getting big hits when we needed it. Tonight getting big hits with two outs when we needed it.”
The teams traded runs in the fourth with Jordan Himpsel scoring for Gloversville and Julian Gallup connecting for a double and scoring for AHS on a passed ball. The Rams would tack on two more in the sixth again with two outs with Julian Gallup and Robertshaw scoring on a double by Rouse and a single by Anil. The offense was more than enough to support the four hit pitching effort from starter Kyle Sherlock and reliever Kolbie Glionna.
“It’s important for him,” Spagnola said of the effort from sophomore lefty Sherlock.” He’s started a lot for us against Class AA teams like Schenectady and Lasalle and he’s only fifteen. He’s fought through some confidence issues and it was important getting him back out here. It was a very good for him. He’s only going to get better.”
Sherlock gave up only one earned run on three hits while strike out five Gloversville hitters and walking only one in four innings on the mound. Glionna finished with two strikeouts and two walks and one hit over the final three innings.
Eric Robertshhaw’s two singles led the Rams who, as a team finished with seven hits. Julian Gallup had a double and scored three runs. Andrew Rouse doubled and scored two runs. Ben Chase started and pitched three innings for Gloversville with two strikeouts. Brad Mulligan had a double and a single, and Zak Funk singled for Gloversville.
Amsterdam will be in action today at Schalmont. Game time is set for 12:30pm. It will be their final game before the Section 2 playoffs. Amsterdam plays some of the top Class AA teams in Section 2 during the Big 10 conference season which could weigh in their favor for a better seed and a possible home game. The Rams will know who their opponent will be late Monday morning when the match ups are decided.
