Common Council Votes Tomorrow on Fate of 2009 Summer Season
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May 31, 2009
May 28, 2009
Former Golden Eagles Soars Up 2009 MLB Draft Boards
Hoosiers Starting Pitcher, Eric Arnett (Indiana), Listed at No. 18 In Baseball America’s Top-100 Prospects
Though he struggled in his previous two collegiate season, the junior pitcher blazed a trial through the Big Ten this season, helping to lead Indiana to their first Big Ten Championship since 1996 and a No. 4 seed in the Louisville Regional. The Hoosiers next play the No. 1 Cardinals in the opening round on Friday, May 29.
Eric Arnett expected to be first-round draft selection in 2009.
Before arm stiffness shelved former Golden Eagles pitcher Eric Arnett (Indiana) in the middle of the 2008 summer season, he started three games with five walks and 14 strikeouts in over 19 innings pitched.
After being named Big Ten Co-Pitcher of the Year for 2009, the College Baseball Foundation named Arnett a finalist for National Pitcher of the Year and a semifinalist for the Golden Spikes Award.
As a starter for the Hoosiers in the 2009 season, Arnett boosts a 12-1 win-loss record and stands tied for Indiana’s single-season wins record. With a mere 2.58 ERA and 103 strikeouts, just six shy of the all-time collegiate mark, and 35 walks in over 101 innings, Arnett ranks fourth in the nation in wins, 19th in K’s, and 21st in ERA.
Draft experts expect Arnett to come off the board somewhere in the first round of the 2009 MLB Draft, which would be Glen Falls’ highest team draft pick. Baseball America lists him No. 18 on its most recent top-100 prospects list.
At 6’5”, 225 pounds, the right-handed hurler, Arnett, overpowers hitters with a rising fastball and a sensational slider. Despite flashes of lower-90 speed, Arnett’s increased his velocity this season, especially in the later innings as he’s now averaging nearly eight innings per start. Arnett’s now up to the high 90s and keeps the ball low in the strike zone so opposing hitters struggle picking up his location.
According to Indiana assistant coach Ty Neal, Arnett’s been able to keep up his speed pitches in later innings and rarely relied on other pitches, such as a splitter or changeup, because no one hitter in the Big Ten has been able to catch up to his other two.
“He’s just gotten stronger, and he’s gotten better every year. Before, he was a 92 (mph) guy and the ball was flat in the zone. Now, he’s bigger and stronger, the slider’s a little better and he’s starting to miss bats and beat guys with his fastball,” Neal said.
Here’s what Baseball America had to say,
“Arnett will need to improve his changeup to remain a starter in pro ball, and some scouts think he lands too hard on his front leg in his delivery. Others say his mechanics are fine, and enough teams like him that he should go in the second half of the first round.”
by Eric Rushia
Lance Durham Eclipses Youkilis’ Single-Season Hits Leader
Durham Earns Second-Team Big East Honors, Sets Cincy AVG Record
Junior Lance Durham Break Two Cincinnati Bearcat's Single-Season Records
Junior outfielder/first basemen Lance Durham (Cincinnati), who has been rumored to be drafted higher than the 15th round in this year’s MLB Draft, will be playing for the Glens Falls Golden Eagles this season. Currently, Durham leads all Bearcats’ batters with 23 multi-hit games, including seven three-hit games and is riding a six-game hit streak. In his six-game hit streak, Durham is batting .375 with five runs scored, six RBI and three walks.
He’s also second on the team with seven multi-RBI games and his 15-game hit streak is better than any Bearcat this season. Splitting his time between the outfield, first base, and at designated hitter this season, Durham’s played in all 57 Bearcat games this season. Durham leads the Bearcats in batting average (.437), hits (99), and on-base percentage (.509). He ranks second on the team in runs scored (45), doubles (18), homeruns (9), RBI (53), walks (35), and total bases (146).
Durham earned second-team all Big East honors this season, in this his first with the Bearcats. His batting average tops all other Big East hitters, as does his hits. His .508 on-base percentage is second-best in the conference. His game-winning RBI single clinch the Bearcats the eighth and final spot in the Big East tournament and moved him ahead of current Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis as Cincinnati’s single-season hits leader.
by Eric Rushia
Former 2007 Golden Eagle Slated As Mid-Rounder in 2009 MLB Draft
Alex Pepe pitched for 2007 Glens Falls Golden Eagles
Middle of Rotation Pitcher, Alex Pepe, Builds On Stellar Collegiate Career in 2009
Another former 2007 Glens Falls Golden Eagle pitcher, Alex Pepe (Florida Atlantic), also expects to be drafted someone within the first 15 rounds of the 2009 MLB Draft.
In his senior season, the Florida-native appeared in 28 games out of the bullpen, finished the 2009 season with a 3-1 win-loss record, and earned two saves. In over 33 innings of work this year for the Owls, Pepe compiled a 4.28 ERA, allowing 16 earned runs, 25 hits, struck out 34 hitters and led all pitchers with an opponents batting average just over two (.203), in addition to his 28 appearances. Pepe worked the same out of games as a junior in 2008, registering one strikeout in 13 of his first 15 appearances. Though the Texas Rangers drafted Pepe in the 44th round of the 2008 MLB First Year Play Draft, many expect Pepe’s draft stock to be on the rise after another impressive collegiate career.
During his time at Glens Falls in the NYCBL, Pepe pitched well for Coach Mayotte’s starting rotation. Pepe started all seven game he appeared in for the Golden Eagles in 2007, finishing the season with a perfect 3-0 win-loss record with two compete game shutouts and another combined shutout. In over 30 innings pitched, Pepe tallied a 2.05 ERA, allowing only seven runs o 20 hits and striking out 39. Opposing batters hit a mere .183 against Pepe and none of them hit a homerun. Pepe’s success continued during the Golden Eagles postseason run, starting and appearing in one game. His 1.12 ERA was good for second best on the Eagles in the 2007 playoffs, with opponents hitting just 0.74 against the 6′1″ southpaw. Pitching eight strong innings, allowing one run on two hits and striking out 11, Pepe earned a no-decision even though the Eagles eventually won the game 4-3 in extra innings.
by Eric Rushia
May 27, 2009
Three UAlbany Pitchers Take Home America East Conference Awards
Future 2009 Glens Falls Golden Eagles starting pitcher Zach Kraham Earns All-Conference Second-Team Honors Selection, All-Rookie Team
Freshman stud starting pitcher Kraham (Albany) notched his fifth win of the season this in game two of a doubleheader sweep, allowing one run on five hits, striking out four and walking just one in a quality start win over the University of Hartford. The win also the Great Danes into the 2009 America East Championship Tournament. With the win, Kraham now sits tied for the team lead.
- Zach Kraham Earn AEC All-Rookie Team
In 10 appearances this year, Kraham holds a 5-2 win-loss record with one complete game win over the UMBC Retrievers back in April. In that outing, Kraham allowed one earned run on just three hits and struck out four. Kraham continues to improve with each performance, with victories in his last four starts. In 46 innings pitched this season, Kraham’s allowed 26 earned runs and 37 strikeouts, with opponents hitting a team-low .263 against him.
UAlbany then traveled to Binghamton for the America East Conference tournament to play the No. 3 Stony Brook Sea Wolves. The postseason trip marks the third time in the last four seasons the Great Danes, the No. 2 seed, will play playoff college baseball. After trailing 1-0 through the games first six innings, the Great Danes erupted for eight runs in the final three innings and earned a game with top-seeded Binghamton Bearcats.
Kraham started the game against Binghamton, but left after four innings with a 7-5 lead. Unfortunately, the bullpen scattered 10 runs in the next five innings to edge UAlbany 11-7. Each team amassed 11 hits. The Great Danes’ bullpen promptly shutdown the Vermont Catamounts in the games final two innings of the AEC Loser’s Bracket Final, which sent the GReat Danes to a championship rematch the Binghamton. Unfortunately for the UAlbany Great Danes, playing in the second-ever championship final, the Binghamton Bearcats defeated then 16-6 after an exhausting five hours and 21 minutes, which included two rain delays.