News & notes

 An Albany Academy graduate is coming home.

Marcus Filien, who just graduated from Cornell, will be a graduate transfer at UAlbany this fall, and joins fellow Academy grad Marcus Jackson (Andre's brother) on the Great Danes' roster. The Danes could use all the help they can get after a horrid 2022-23 campaign.

======================================

Mother Nature has wreaked havoc with the summer baseball schedule.

For example, on Friday, the Tri-City Valleycats-Florence Y'alls game at Bruno Stadium was rained out well before first pitch. What was supposed to be a single admission doubleheader Saturday turned into a single game, won by the 'Cats, 6-5, on a Carson McCusker walk-off homer. They'll play two today, starting at 3 pm.

========================================

It started raining in Amsterdam, too, on Friday, during the Mohawks' game vs. the Albany Dutchmen, but by the time the rains came, the Mohawks, who'd suffered their first loss of the season on Thursday, had already locked down a win, beating Albany, 8-1.

The Dutchmen were supposed to play a doubleheader in Guilderland vs. the Utica Blue Sox, but, that, too, became a single game due to rain, which Utica won, 7-3. The 2nd game, and Wednesday's game, will be made up at a later date. The Dutchmen are idle today before another home & home series with Saugerties starts tomorrow.

============================================

More Valleycats: OF Pat Adams announced his retirement on June 13, after he'd had a hand in the 'Cats' 24-12 pasting of Gateway last Sunday. He'd only been in pro ball six seasons, and had joined the 'Cats a week and a half earlier via trade. If the itch returns, so will Adams.

============================================

The majority of teams in the Albany Twilight League are based, of course, in Albany. There are two teams in Rensselaer County, the Twin Town Devil Cats and the Troy Haymakers, the latter a franchise that honors a lineage dating back to the early 20th century.

Both clubs sit in last place in their divisions heading into play today. The Haymakers will be one of two opponents for the Capital City Kings, the Thot division leader, tonight at Bleecker Stadium. The Haymakers will take the field at 5 pm, with the Kings to take on the perennial league champion Albany Athletics at 7:30. The league simply will not allow games to be played across the river, but that ages-old practice needs to be retired, in order to better grow the league. Just sayin'.

===============================================

LaSalle grad Zach Remillard was called up to the Chicago White Sox, and made his debut on Saturday in Seattle against the Mariners. Remillard went 3-3 with a walk and 3 RBI's as he started at 2nd base alongside star shortstop Tim Anderson. The ChiSox won, 4-3.

Prior to that, Remillard was hitting .236 at Triple A Charlotte with 6 homers and 25 RBI.

Shaker grad Tommy Kahnle pitched against the Mets during the Subway Series, part 1, earlier this week, and pitched an inning without giving up a hit or a run. Hasn't been scored upon in six appearances this season, with 5 strikeouts on his ledger.

Fellow Blue Bison alum Jeff Hoffman is now in Philadelphia, where he's appeared in 12 games since being called up, with a 2.77 ERA in 13 innings with 18 strikeouts.

Mike Kennedy (Troy) has appeared in 2 games for the Florida Coast League Pirates, with a 1.23 ERA over 7 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts. 

At the plate, Kevin Smith (Columbia) is still struggling to reach .200 for Oakland. He's hitting .191 for the moribound Athletics, with 4 homers and 8 RBI.