ALBANY, N.Y. — Kyle Skeels led off the sixth inning with a tie-breaking home run Saturday and led the Albany Dutchmen to a 4-2 win over the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs.
Albany had taken a 2-0 lead in the first inning at Bob Bellizzi Field. Mohawk Valley had come back with single runs in the third and fourth.
David Palmer, the second-year DiamondDawg from the University of New Haven, allowed his first two earned runs of the season in the first inning then took his first loss after allowing Skeels’ home run.
Skeels, the designated hitter for the Dutchmen and a catcher by trade from College World Series finalist Coastal Carolina University, also delivered Albany’s big hit in the first inning. Azusa Pacific University’s Mychael Goudreau and Ohio Dominican University’s Justin Childers had back-to-back one-out singles before Skeels, Albany’s cleanup hitter, drove both of them home with a double.
The DiamondDawgs went hitless until they strung three together in the third inning against Albany starter Kale Morton from Azusa Pacific. Wagner College’s Sean Mazzio singled with one out and was thrown out trying to steal second base. Rutgers University’s Mike Martinez and Fairfield University’s Drew Arciuolo tripled on Morton’s next two pitches and produced the first Mohawk Valley run.
Michael Conti led off the fourth inning with a single for the DiamondDawgs, advanced on a passed ball, and scored the tying run on a hit by Fairfield teammate Kevin Radziewicz.
Palmer had allowed only one hit since the first inning when Skeels broke the 2-2 tie leading off the sixth. Goudreau added a run-scoring single against reliever Nick Plachno from Central Connecticut State University.
Goudreau, Childers and Skeels each had two of Albany’s eight hits. Skeels has 11 RBI in his last five games.
Palmer had allowed two unearned runs in 22 innings in his first three Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League starts. Saturday’s start pushed his ERA to 0.96, tied for sixth among qualifiers.
Mazzio, Arciuolo and Conti each had two hits for the DiamondDawgs.