The St. Patrick-St. Vincent High baseball team kept its hopes of a Tri-County Athletic League Tournament championship alive with a dramatic 5-4 victory over host Albany in nine grueling innings of Friday’s opening round.

Tied 4-4 in the top of the ninth, the Bruins were poised for a breakthrough with Wesley Galloway at second and Kailon Loud at third and only one out. Albany appeared to catch a break when a failed squeeze bunt attempt left Loud hung out to dry for the second out, but Jack Gamba’s grounder and hustle down the line forced a bad throw and Galloway raced home with the go-ahead run.

Gamba also pitched five innings of solid relief and earned the win, sending the Bruins (9-9) to a TCAL semifinal game at St. Mary’s on Tuesday. St. Mary’s (14-7) is the top seed in the tournament and had a first-round bye.

Albany (15-9) jumped on the Bruins for a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but Chris Stinchcomb brought SPSV back in the second when he tripled to center and scored when the incoming throw bounced away. James Terrell Jr. brought the Bruins closer with a solo home run in the fourth to make it 3-2.

Down 4-2 in the seventh, Galloway singled in a run and later scored on a bunt to tie the game.

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