News & notes

 For you sports card collectors frustrated by the emergence of so-called "investors" permeating the market the last two years, and hoarding retail boxes & packs from Walmart & Target, there is a solution, finally.

While Target has put cards under lock & key in some places outside New York, Walmart's Troy location undertook that procedure recently after numerous consumer complaints. There've been reports that the hoarders had been camping out in the parking lot so they could get first crack when the store opens at 6 am. Today, I stopped in, and was pleasantly surprised by the new cabinets. After getting the attention of a clerk, I was able to acquire one box each of Topps 2022 Series 1 & Topps Opening Day ($20 each). I do believe this is now a company wide policy, so if you're shopping at Walmart in Albany, Latham, et al, you'll find the same thing. Same at Target.

It's about time.

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Friday's high school & college scoreboard:

Local college baseball:

College of St. Rose swept American International, 11-9 & 10-8.

Softball:

Caldwell swept St. Rose, 13-0 & 8-0.

Skidmore swept Williams College, 8-4 & 6-2.

Men's tennis:

Skidmore 7, Union 2.

High schools:

Baseball:

Non-league:

Queensbury 12, Albany 4.

Waterford 11, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 1.

Softball:

Non-league:

Troy 2, Mohonasen 1. Olivia DeCitise, on a week's rest, pitched her 2nd straight complete game, giving up a run on two hits, while fanning 14. Katie Pryor homered for both of Troy's runs. 

Troy (2-0) begins Suburban Council play Monday at Colonie.

Averill Park 6, Albany 5. This game was listed as a non-league matchup, which means the two teams may see each other again this season.

Men's tennis:

Adirondack League:

Hadley-Luzerne 4, Lake George 3. Lake George has a co-ed team this spring.

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Albany High grad Ahniysha Jackson has entered the transfer portal at Siena after 2 seasons. Seems the loss of playing time this season contributed to her decision.

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I'm pretty sure you've noticed by now, but Atlanta Braves pitcher Ian Anderson has followed fellow Shenendehowa alum Kevin Huerter in landing a localized endorsement deal. 

While Huerter did some spots for Professional Fire Restoration a year or two back, Anderson is currently appearing in an ad for Mohawk Chevrolet. Those ads will be appearing all season long.

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We touched on this over at The Land of Whatever earlier this week, but we might as well talk it up here, too.

WPIX, which has had NYC broadcast rights to the Yankees on and off for years, lost those rights after the 2021 season, as the team decided to stream 21 Friday games on Amazon Prime. That leaves WPIX & WCWN with just the Mets for local consumption. Cable viewers will get the Yanks on ESPN, as well as Fox (selected ESPN & MLB Network games are blacked out in the 518), but the Yankees have sacrificed years of tradition in the name of profit margins (of course). Amazon, it should be noted, co-owns YES Network with the team and WCWN parent Sinclair Broadcasting.