Great Danes Fall in Pair of Close Contests

FLOUR FIELD, S.C. – The UAlbany Great Danes battled valiantly in a Saturday doubleheader, but ultimately suffered defeats against James Madison (6-3) and Michigan State (4-1). Despite the losses, the team showcased strong pitching and glimpses of offensive potential.

Game 1: James Madison Edges UAlbany

James Madison secured a 6-3 victory in the first game, capitalizing on early opportunities and a defensive miscue. UAlbany fought back, scoring three runs, but couldn’t overcome the deficit.

• James Madison took a 4-0 lead in the fourth inning.
• UAlbany responded in the sixth with an RBI single by Patrick DeSarno and a triple from Cooper Loyal, cutting the lead to 5-2.
• Victor Mazzara added another RBI single in the seventh, bringing the score to 5-3.

Game 2: Michigan State Holds Off UAlbany

In a tightly contested second game, Michigan State prevailed 4-1. UAlbany’s pitching staff delivered a strong performance, but the offense struggled to generate consistent run support.

• Michigan State took a 2-0 lead in the third inning.
• Kyle Stephens doubled and scored on an RBI single from Michael Maggio in the fourth, narrowing the gap to 2-1.
• The UAlbany pitching staff recorded 13 strikeouts in the game.

Key Stats

• Michael Maggio went 2-4 with a double and an RBI in Game 2.
• Kyle Stephens doubled and scored UAlbany’s lone run in Game 2.
• Luke Filippi added a hit and drew two walks in Game 2.

Coach Mueller’s Perspective

Overall we played well. We had limited opportunities offensively throughout the day. Winning the free pass game is vital to our development and we accomplished that today. We will keep plugging away offensively and have another opportunity tomorrow. – Jon Mueller

Looking Ahead

The Great Danes will conclude the First Pitch Invitational tomorrow, March 1, with a game against Illinois at 10:00 AM.