News & notes

 The Tri-City Valleycats weren't expected to have a perfect season, despite what some of their more hardcore, obsessed fans might think to the contrary.

The 'Cats dropped a 7-1 decision to the Florence Y'alls Friday in Kentucky. The series wraps tonight, and the 'Cats, as noted previously, will have two days off before the home opener on Tuesday.

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On the surface, it's another day, another win for Troy High's scorching hot softball team, which has now won 14 in a row after clipping Guilderland in a non-league game, 4-3. The question, though is whether or not this comes with a price.

Ace lefthander Olivia DeCitise went the distance, scattering five hits in giving up the three runs, while striking out 12 and walking 5. The five walks are significant because it says the junior may be suffering from fatigue. She's walked 9 in her last two games. Luckily, the Flying Horses are off until the start of sectionals, which will come as early as Wednesday.

Is it a cause for concern? From where this writer sits, yes. Troy (17-2, 11-2 Suburban Council) has other pitchers, which makes coach Sean Geisel's little experiment to start DeCitise in almost every game all the more curious. As the sectionals begin, Geisel has to be aware that part of the reason for the free passes yesterday was because the Lady Dutch had seen DeCitise before, just a couple of weeks earlier, and knew what to expect. If Troy runs into league foes Burnt Hills and/or Averill Park in the tournament, Geisel would be well advised to have another starter in the circle, and save DeCitise for a fresh opponent, like, for example, projected #1 seed Queensbury. The more rest DeCitise gets, the better Troy will be.

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Meanwhile, Troy's tennis team is done for the season, losing a 1st round Class A sectional to Averill Park this morning, 7-0. Yes, 7 matches on the card instead of 9, and Troy forfeited three of the seven due to lack of players. The Warriors await the winner of Scotia-Glenville at Burnt Hills later today. We'll have the rest of the results tomorrow.

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The rest of Friday's action:

Baseball:

Colonial Council:

Albany Academy 15, Cohoes 3 (5 innings).

Patroon Conference:

Maple Hill 22, Greenville 21.

Waterford 10, Rensselaer 0 (6 innings).

Suburban Council:

Schenectady 5, Albany 4.

Western Athletic Conference:

Fort Plain 14, Berne-Knox-Westerlo 2 (6 innings).

Men's lacrosse:

Mohonasen-Schenectady 12, Catholic Central 6.

Women's lacrosse:

Greenwich 13, Glens Falls 11.

Softball:

Colonial Council:

Cohoes 12, Catholic Central 2.

Suburban Council:

Albany 5, Averill Park 2.

Burnt Hills 3, Shaker 2.

Western Athletic Conference:

Fonda-Fultonville 20, Mayfield 7.

Tennis sectionals:

Class AA:

Albany 6, Mohonasen-Schenectady 1.

Niskayuna 9, Columbia 0.