SCHENECTADY – The Raiders and the Schenectady CCC Royals completed their four-game weekend series with a doubleheader at Central Park on Sunday. The day was cold, gray, and windy, but both clubs played good baseball. The home team narrowly won the opener 4-3. Schenectady swept the series with a 10-5 win in Game Two.

Photo: Raider Robert Brown singles in Game One

Game One

Leadoff hitter Lewis Lima singled and stole second base, but the Raiders could not bring him home. The Royals scored in their half of the first inning with a single and a double.

The second inning was scoreless. Schenectady pitcher Zach Dufel notched his third strikeout, and FM hurler Chris Carmel set the Royals down in order.

Schenectady led 4-0 after four innings, but the Raider bats were showing promise. Andrew Houser singled in the sixth, and James Waters drove him home with a double.

FM scored two more runs in the seventh. Shortstop Raymond Ostrander drew a walk. DaShon Boyles lined a single up the middle. Houser lashed a single into left-center field, driving in Ostrander and Boyles. The game ended 4-3 in Schenectady's favor.

Game Two

FM took a 4-2 lead in the second inning. Zachary Hughes drove a single to left. Jonathan Wingate reached on an error. Catcher Matt Hecht drove in Hughes. Ray Osterhout doubled to the right field corner, scoring Hecht.

Photo:  Matt Hecht rounds third base on his way to score

Schenectady pitcher Justin Holmberg was keeping the FM batters in check. The Royals had a big fourth inning, plating five runs. SCCC led 7-4.

The Royals added three more runs in the sixth. FM scored their final run in the seventh when Kevin Chrisman was hit by a pitch, Ostrander walked, and DaShon Boyles belted a single that scored Chrisman. The final score was 10-5.

Next up for the Raiders: the region's #1-ranked team, Herkimer CCC. FM will host a doubleheader with the Generals on Tuesday. Herkimer is 15-1 in Region 3 play. The first pitch is set for 2:00 p.m.

                         C.J. Bonny, website writer

Game One

FMCC  000 001 2   3-7-1

SCCC  102 100 x   4-8-0

Carmel and Hecht; Dufel, Major (7) and Moore

2B:  Foran (SCCC); Waters, Hughes (FMCC)

Game Two

FMCC   130 000 1   5-7-4

SCCC   200 503 x   10-11-2

Hall, Casimiro (4) and Hecht, Chrisman (6)

2B: Osterhout (FMCC); Church, Crawford (SCCC)

Records:  FMCC  9-19 (4-10 in Region 3), SCCC 10-11 (9-3 in Region 3)