News & notes

 Matt Gage (Broadalbin-Perth/Siena) had a brief stint in the Mets organization last year. Tonight, he takes the mound to try to prevent the Mets from sweeping his current club, the San Francisco Giants (ESPN, 7 pm). The Mets have won six in row, having already swept the Los Angeles Angels earlier this week.

The Giants will be looking for payback when they come to Queens on Friday.

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

If you're a college basketball fan, you're probably familiar with the ACC-Big 10 challenge that used to happen every year (don't know if it still does).

Now, the America East & Metro Atlantic conferences are initiating a similar challenge series, starting this winter.

While UAlbany & Siena are scheduled to face each other this season, and teams from the two leagues often play in non-league games in December, anyway, so, yeah, this could work.

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

Scotia-Glenville Little League was eliminated from the state tournament in Staten Island Friday, so once again, there is no team from the 518 heading to Williamsport in the Little League World Series, which launches in about a week or two.

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

The Albany Alleycats were in Kansas City last week for the United Premier League Women's Nationals, and won the tournament a week ago today, getting some advice & inspiration from Claire Hutton (Bethlehem), who will be playing for the Kansas City Current. Hutton herself is a former Alleycat, and gave the current team a tour of the Current's training facility.

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

If the game is played today, what with all the rain in town, the Tri-City Valleycats could be calling Broom Service again.

After sweeping Three Rivers earlier this week, Tri-City is on the verge of doing the same to Quebec, trimming the Capitals' lead to 8 games after a 12-2 blowout on Saturday. David Glancy, Jake Reinisch, & Dylan Broderick all homered for the 'Cats in support of Stephen Still.

First pitch is around 5 pm.

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

Heading into action today at Saratoga, Chad Brown had moved atop the trainers standings, just ahead of mentor Todd Pletcher. Brown has saddled 11 winners so far in the meet, which is finishing week 3 today.

On the jockey's side, Dylan Davis has had three winners this week, doubling his total to 6, heading into today's card.