Pitcher Jordan Bernacet tossed a two hit shutout and provided much of the offense with three hits and scored three runs as the Schenectady Patriots defeated the Amsterdam Rams varsity baseball team 6-0 Wednesday night at Shuttleworth Park.
Prior to the game’s 6:30pm start, the Rams and their faithful fans honored this years seniors: Andrew Rouse, Eric Robertshaw, Jonardy Anil, Kolbie Gilonna, Jared Gallup, Julian Gallup and Keny Ribot Diaz and their parents in an on field ceremony.
Bernacet and the Patriots offense would get to work early. Bernacet doubled to lead off the game and took third on a wild pitch from AHS starter Kyle Sherlock. Zach Schellenger’s sacrifice fly to right field scored Bernacet. Guiseppe Carberg was aboard on an outfield error and came around to score on a single from Brandon Gwinner. AHS trailed 2-0 and that was something they hadn’t experienced in the last two home games.
“They came out swinging the bats from the first kid that stepped in,” AHS coach Brian Spagnola said. “ They outplayed us tonight.”
Amsterdam looked to get right back in the game when Rouse led off with a hard liner to right that appeared headed for the fence. Patriots right fielder Tyler Gannon made a sliding stop to hold Rouse to a single. The next three AHS batters hit the ball on the ground resulting in force plays that stopped any rally. Schenectady would make a habit of consistent defense in a game that featured several hard hit ground ball by the Rams offense. The Rams defense was inconsistent early behind Sherlock.
A walk to Gannon leading off the Patriot’s second turned into a run as both Mike Gibson and Chris Landis reached base on bunt attempts that were mis-played for errors. Bernacet’s second hit plated Gannon leading to Sherlock’s exit from the mound. Tony Isabel came on in relief and benefited from a double play started by right fielder Jared Gallup who caught a fly ball off the bat of Schellenger and fired to second to get Landis who had strayed too far off base. The damage was done however and the Rams were down 3-0.
“I put it on me,” coach Spagnola said. “I told everyone we play good defense, and we do. We’re no different and we do make errors.”
Schenectady would score two more runs in the fourth on Schellenger’s two run double. The Patriots catcher wasn’t finished and picked up his third run batted in the sixth. Schellenger and Bernacet collected five of the Patriots seven hits and all but one RBI. Isabel gave up only four hits in relief for AHS, striking out two. The Rams offense meanwhile wouldn’t manage another hit until Rouse’s second single of the game in the sixth.
“We hit the ball hard, just right at them,” said coach Spagnola. “They made every play.”
Bernacet, a lefty showed the Rams what other teams had seen when AHS ace left Julian Gallup is on the mound. Bernacet finished with five strikeouts while walking only two.
(Photos by Scott Mulford)
