Sports Talk
By Brian DePasquale
DiMicco Becomes Lacrosse’s All-Time Scorer
Senior midfielder Dawn DiMicco had five goals and four assists, and became the school’s all-time scoring leader, as Albany posted a 23-12 victory over Le Moyne on April 12 at Varsity Field.

Albany (5-5) led 13-10 at halftime, but then pulled away with seven unanswered goals to begin the final period. Freshman Alexis DiDomenico, who totaled a season-high seven goals with one assist, scored once and assisted on another goal in that stretch. Colleen Maresca netted two of her three goals during that decisive run, as the Great Danes registered their highest scoring total since 1995.

DiMicco, who totaled four goals and three assists in the first half, surpassed Debbie August (1993-96) as Albany’s career scoring leader. DiMicco has 170 points on 112 goals and 58 assists.

Sophomore Amanda Daniels led Le Moyne (4-5) with five goals and one assist, while Colleen Sperry added three goals and one assist.

Baseball Splits Conference Doubleheader
Steve Checksfield belted a three-run homer in the eighth to put his team ahead in the opener, as Albany split a New York State Baseball Conference doubleheader with Pace on April 14 in the Great Danes’ home opener at Varsity Field. Albany (7-19, NYSBC 3-3) won the first game, 17-16, but dropped the second, 12-11.

In the opener, Pace (10-19, NYSBC 3-3) drew even in the eighth at 14 apiece on Doug Hehner’s RBI single. Checksfield broke the tie in the bottom of the frame with his fifth home run of the season over the left-field fence. The Setters closed within 17-16 in the ninth on Frank Siano’s run-scoring single. Siano finished with seven hits, including a home run and a double, in the two games. Albany reliever Craig Straus struck out Marc DeLuca to end the contest.

Pace rallied from an 11-8 deficit in the nightcap. First baseman Keith Bohlander, who drove in five runs on the day, hit a two-run homer in the fourth, and plated the winning run with a single in the fifth.

Albany’s Michael Oliva slugged a three-run homer in both ends of the twinbill, while shortstop Mike Grasso totaled three hits, including his first home run of the year, four runs and five RBI. The Great Danes had played their opening 24 games on the road.

UAlbany Tracksters Compete at Tennessee’s Sea Ray Relays
UAlbany’s Jessica Walton qualified for the USA Junior National Championships in the 1,500-meter run at the 35th Sea Ray Relays on April 11-14 at the University of Tennessee’s Tom Black Track.

Walton ran a season-best 4:40.96 to finish eighth in her section and 30th overall. The UAlbany freshman’s time places her in the 1,500 field at junior nationals, for ages 19 and under, on June 16-17 in Richmond, Va.

Walton was also a member of Albany’s 4x800-meter relay that placed third in its section and 11th overall with a time 9:29.09. Jessica Burger, Megan Roeder and Diane Matthews joined Walton on the unit.

Albany’s 4x800 relay was 14th in the men’s competition. The squad of Ike Cherry, Ed Fotiades, Adam Rice and Noel Campbell finished eighth in its section, and was timed in 7:56.74.

In addition, Rice took 19th in the 3,000-meter steeplechase, while Jamie Rodriguez was 23rd in the 10,000-meter run. Rice ran a season-best time of 9:34.79 in the steeplechase. Rodriguez, who was competing in the 10,000 for the first time this spring, finished in 33:05.11.

Albany assistant track coach Jeffrey York captured third place in 110-meter high hurdles in 13.65 seconds. Dawane Wallace of Adidas sprinted 13.30 to finish first, while Indiana State’s Aubrey Herring (13.42) was second.

Softball Records Back-to-Back Doubleheader Sweeps
Shortstop Valerie Terry had five hits, including a double, scored four times, and drove in five runs to lead Albany to a doubleheader sweep over visiting Maryland-Eastern Shore on April 13 at Albany Field. The Great Danes won the twinbill, 9-1 and 20-0.

Albany (13-14) led 2-1 in the first game, but then broke the contest open with a three-run fourth inning. Center fielder Liz Wieboldt, who registered five hits and three RBI on the day, lined a run-scoring double in the frame.

In the nightcap, pitchers Sarah Maida and Kristin Couris combined to no-hit Maryland-Eastern Shore (0-26). Maida faced the minimum nine batters in three innings on the mound. She struck out four en route to her fifth victory this spring. Lynnette Bohannon doubled in two runs, as Albany scored seven times in the second.

Freshman catcher Valerie Brown totaled three hits, three runs and three RBI in the two-game set for the Great Danes, who swept Niagara, 6-5 and 6-5, in the their home opener the previous day.

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