ICBL notes

Through two weeks, the standings in the Independent Collegiate Baseball League look like this:

Albany Athletics 9-1-1.
Albany Dutch 6-4-1.
Amsterdam Mohawks 4-6.
Glens Falls Independents 1-9.

Yes, you read that right. The Independents snapped an 8 game losing streak in beating the Dutch in Saturday's opener, only for the Dutch to bounce back and win game 2, 2-0. The Dutch return to Shuttleworth Park in Amsterdam to play the Athletics tomorrow night. Amsterdam is idle until Thursday.

Speaking of the Mohawks, all the momentum they had after sweeping Glens Falls on Thursday evaporated with another doubleheader loss to the Athletics. Jason Savacool (Baldwinsville/Maryland) started, and ran out of steam in the 3rd inning, as the Athletics scored three runs in the frame. Savacool took the loss as the Athletics won game 1, 7-2. Nick Pastore (Troy High) reached base five times (HBP, Walk, error, 2 hits) and drove in a run, scoring a couple more, for the Athletics, while Brendan Harris added a late homer.

Harris also went yard in game two, as the Athletics completed the sweep, connecting in the first inning off Mohawks starter & loser Dale Stanavich (Amsterdam/Rutgers), en route to a 6-2 win.

Notes: It may be just two weeks, but the ICBL, if they have to return next year, may have to re-think the idea of one centrally located umpire in the center of the infield, behind the pitcher's mound. It leads to the occasional confusion on fair/foul calls on the baselines in the outfield. If they don't it creates more problems than they can immediately solve.

Amsterdam pitcher David Montalvo might just be the 2nd coming of former Met John Pacella.

Allow me to explain. In the early 80's, Pacella, who spent a couple of years in Flushing, had an unusual habit of having his cap fall off on virtually every pitch. In three appearances this season, Montalvo, whose retro-'do will remind Met fans of pre-2018 Jacob deGrom, is having the same problem, no matter which hat he uses. Might need to have his hat size reexamined.