May 10th Scotia, NY- Opening night for the 2009 CDMABL season was a battle between the Colonie Knights and South Troy Cudas. The Cudas sent new comer Giorgio Fuda to the hill to battle 2007 Cy-young award winner Adam Anderson. Anderson sat the Cudas down in order to start the game fanning the first 2 batters he faced. Newcomer Giorgio Fuda made his CDMABL debut walking Burnetter, but fanning the next 2 batter and getting the 3rd to ground out. From the looks of the first innings this game was going to be a pitchers duel. John Salvi led the 2nd inning off with a single and new Cuda Chris Chisena would draw a one out walk but both players would be stranded on the base paths. Fuda would do the same in the 2nd as in the first walking Kisselburgh with 2 out but getting the next batter to again ground out to third. Anderson would get the first 2 in the 3rd but then Eric Wiagnd would reach on a throwing error and Darren Lewis would draw a two out walk after Wigand stole second, but Anderson would again strand two Cudas Runners. Futa would get in trouble in the 3rd when Tollentino would draw a walk and new Knight Charles Assini would single to a diving Wigand at 3rd and Burnetter would then walk to load the bases with no-outs. Fuda would dig deep and get Tranior to ground in the 4-2 fielder’s choice and then x-Bobcat, new Knight Joe Demarco would step to the plate with the bases loaded and line into a Gold Glove line drive double play to Fuda on the mound ending the inning with no runners crossing the plate. Anderson would get the Knights right back in sitting down the Cudas in order. Fuda would do nearly the same in the bottom of the 4th only making way to a walk to “Squiz”. The 5th inning would be the first action home plate would see in 2009. Carlos Maldonado would single and steal second and move to third on Joey Coleman fielder’s choice. Zack Hasselbarth would then reach on an infield error scoring Maldonado giving the Cudas a 1-0 lead and scoring the first run of the 2009 CDMABL season. The Knights wouldn’t wait long to score their first run of the season as well. After a line-out Tollentino would draw his second walk and move to second when Assani would reach on a throwing error, then Burnetter would draw another walk to load the bases with one out. Fuda would K the next batter and face Joe Demarco with 2 outs and the bases loaded. The Knigths would plate their first run on a Wild Pitch scoring Tollentino and Demarco would then walk to again load the bases. With the bases loaded and the score 1-1 Fuda would dig deep and take Freddie Harris 3-2 and throw a gutsy curve ball to get Harris looking to end the inning. With a 1-1 score Anderson would roll through the 6th sitting the Cudas down in order again. Five innings would be all for Giorgio Fuda’s Cudas debut and would hand the ball to Jeff Streeter. In the 6th Dan Carney would lead off the inning with a broken bat single and move to second on a Hardisty fielders choice and then move to third on a wild pitch. Jimmer Kisselburgh would walk putting runners at first and third with one out, bringing Leo Primeau to the plate. Primeau would ground into a “Fucillo Huge” 1-4-3 double play to end the 6th. Anderson would come out for the 7th and new Cuda Chris Chisena would single with one out and be run for by Kevin Barnes. With one out Barnes would try to take second, but be thrown out and Anderson would K Shoemaker to retire the side. The bottom of the 7th would start with Tollentino walking for the 3rd time of the game. Tollentino would be thrown out trying to steal second; new Knight Assini would walk and be run for by x-road dog, new Knight Chris Spina. Spina would then move all the way from first to third when Streeter would throw the ball away trying to pick Spina off. With 1 out and Knights captain Jamie Burnetter coming to the plate, he would hit a fly ball to CF and drive in Spina from third to win the game 2-1.

Final Score: Cudas 1 – Knights 2

WP: Adam Anderson (7 IP, 3 HIT’s, 2 BB, 0 ER)

LP: Jeff Streeter (1.2 IP, 2 HIT’s, 2 BB, 1 ER)

ND: Giorgio Fuda (5 IP, 1 HIT, 8 BB, 6 K’s, 0 ER)

Player of the game: Adam Anderson