Lake George's Tirri (GE'11) slams 2 in double header

Albany, N.Y. - Mike Tirri (Golden Eagles 2011) hit two home runs in game one and finished with a double and single in game two to lead UAlbany to a doubleheader sweep of UMBC in America East Conference baseball action on Saturday afternoon at Varsity Field. The Great Danes posted a 9-4 win in the early game and defeated the Retrievers, 6-0, in game two. The second game of the day was called due to rain, but was declared official after five and a half innings.

            UMBC scored two runs in the first inning to take an early lead, but it would not last long, as Kyle Crean hit a grand slam over the right field wall in the bottom of the second to put UAlbany on top, 4-2. UMBC tied the game at 4-4 in the top of the third on a two-run single by Max Himmelstein. The Great Danes responded with a two-spot in the bottom of the frame, getting one run on a solo homer by Tirri to lead off the inning, and an RBI double by D.J. Hoagboon to score Nethaway later on.

            Tirri recorded his second hit of the day in the fourth, driving in Crean, who hit a double earlier in the inning. Tirri then wrapped up scoring for the Great Danes in the bottom of the second, hitting his second homer of the day to the same spot in right field, also bringing home Nolan Gaige.

            Dave Kubiak earned the complete-game win on the mound for UAlbany, striking out six over the seven inning game. Mike Mitchell took the loss for UMBC, allowing six runs, all earned, over three innings of work. The Great Danes finished with 14 hits in the game, as four players recorded multiple hits, led by Tirri, Crean and Gaige with three apiece.

            In the rain-shortened game two, UAlbany scored all six runs in two innings before the game was called. UAlbany put four runs on the board in the second inning, getting an RBI double by Jeff Welsh and a single by Crean that drove in Ralph Rizzo. Rob Cervini accounted for the other two runs, sending Welsh and Nethaway home with a single down the left field line. The Great Danes added two in the fourth on a sacrifice fly by Gaige and an RBI-double into center by Tirri.

            Starter Zach Kraham (Golden Eagles 2009) earned the shutout win after the game was called official after the top of the sixth inning. Kraham allowed just three hits while striking out nine. Starter Sean Swetnam took the loss for the Retrievers, allowing nine hits and six earned runs, while issuing three walks and just two strikeouts.

UAlbany (19-25, AE 11-7) and UMBC (7-35, AE 0-18) will complete the four-game series with a second doubleheader on Sunday starting at noon. Prior to the start of Sunday's games, the Great Danes will honor their four graduating seniors in the class of 2011.