June 14, 2009

Golden Eagles Lose Heartbreaker In Extra Innings

Glens Falls’ Four-Game Win Streak Snapped

As has been the norm all season long thus far for the Golden Eagles, Glens Falls plated four runs in the first, but then didn’t score again until the eighth inning when they tied the game with four more runs; and ultimately lost 9-8 to the Watertown Wizards in 12 innings.

The loss, the first for Glen Falls away from East Field this season, snaps the four-game win streak, drops their overall win-loss record to 6-3 after two weeks of wood-bat summer baseball in the New York Collegiate Baseball League, and puts them just one half games ahead of the Wizards for first place in the East Division.

Walks from freshmen Pepito Moreno (Pima C.C.) and Rodarrick Jones (New Orleans) set the stage for Justin Zumwalde (Pima C.C.), who singled home his college teammate and then stole second to move into scoring position. A pass ball scored Jones and allowed Eric Phillips (Georiga Southern) to reach first base safely on a swinging third strike.

With runners at the corners, freshmen Kevin Berry (New Orleans) hit the ball hard off the shortshop’s glove, which scored Zumwalde, Berry’s college teammate. Conner Gandossy (Saint Louis) then roped an RBI single down the left-field line, scoring Phillips from third and putting the Golden Eagles ahead 4-0.

Moreno finished with three walks and two runs scored. Both Zumwalde and Phillips each added two hits and one run scored. Sophomore Nate Valdez (Central Arizona) also singled in the first before the inning came to a close.

The Golden Eagles have scored 10 first-inning runs this season, and were previously undefeated when leading after one.

Back-to-back singles from Zumwalde and Phillips in the Glens Falls’ fifth had the Eagles needing a clutch, two-out hit to pad their 4-2 lead. But that hit never came, at least not for the Golden Eagles in the fifth inning.

With one run in both the first and third innings, the Wizards’ bats chipped away at the Glens Falls lead. Busting the game wide open with six runs on six hits in the bottom of the fifth inning, the Wizards bats’ calmed down the rest of game until, with two outs in the 12th, a failed pick-off attempt allowed Watertown to score the game-winning run.

The Glens Falls lineup were held hitless in five innings, including all three extras. In two extra inning games this summer, the Golden Eagles’ record stands at 1-1, with an 0-2 win-loss record in one-run games.

Trailing by four runs heading into the top half of the eighth, the Golden Eagles’ clutch, two-out hitting propelled them to score four runs on two hits and allowed them to tie the game at 8-8.

Three walks drawn by Berry, Gandossy, and Moreno loaded the bases for the teams’ hottest hitter, junior Anthony Giansanti (Siena). Giansanti cleared the bases, with a three-run triple, and trimmed the Watertown lead down to only one run.

Jones then singled home Giansanti to knot the game at eight runs a piece. The RBI single was Jones’  second hit of the night and the seventh in his last three games.

In total, Glens Falls worked seven walks off Watertown pitching tonight, compared to the Glens Falls staff that allowed just five walks through 12 innings.

Starting his second game of the season, freshman right-hander Tony Dischler (Louisiana Monroe) lasted four and one-thirds innings and struck out six batters before Daniel Watts (Jacksonville State).

Watts dominated Wizards hitters for six and one-thirds innings pitched, allowing only one earned run on five hits, striking out five and walking one.

Junior Kellen Candau (Southern Illinois) entered the game after two outs in 11th inning. Candau beamed the first batter in the 12th, which turned out to be the difference as the runner eventually came around to score on a failed pick off attempt.

Glens Falls travels to Albany to play the Dutchmen this afternoon hopefully they can get back on track. The Golden Eagles defeated Albany in extra innings back on June 5th. After an off-day on Monday, the Golden Eagles return home for a 10:30 a.m. game against the Dutchmen at East Field on Tuesday, June 16.

by Eric Rushia

June 13, 2009

Glens Falls’ Looks For Fifth Straight Road Victory

Filed under: 2009 Season, Game Preview, Watertown Wizards — Tags: , , — Eric Rushia @ 1:08 pm
Golden Eagles Hoping For Two In A Row Over Watertown

eag_vs_ww

After notching their fourth straight win of the 2009 season, the Glens Falls Golden Eagles hopped on bus at around 10 a.m. this morning for the four-hour scenic route up to Watertown for a 7 p.m. game against the third place Wizards at Alex T. Duffy Baseball Field.

On the season, Glens Falls has been a perfect 4-0 away from East Field while Watertown has been a perfect 4-0 at home this season. One of these two teams’ streaks will end tonight, and Golden Eagles Head Coach John Mayotte is not one to tinkering the batting order or even the starting lineup.

“When you’re on a four-game winning streak, you don’t want to over-coach and over-manage,” Mayotte said. “Our guys aren’t at their best yet, but this early in the season I’ve been happy with our pitching and where our guys are in the batting order.”

The Golden Eagles, who defeated the Wizards 12-7 in the second home game of the season back on June 6, can put a three-game cushion between them and Watertown with a win.

Last season, the No. 1 seed Glens Falls Golden Eagles opened the 2008 playoffs with a two-game sweep over the No. 4 seed Watertown on their way to a second straight birth in the NYCBL Championship birth.

In game two of that two-game set with Watertown, current Glens Falls 2009 players, sophomore pitcher Jamie Storey (MIdland College) and junior outfielder Anthony Giansanti (Siena) each played pivotal roles in shoring up the series win. Both players pitched entered the game from the bullpen, combining for four innings, two earned runs and a pair of strikeouts.

Storey will likely not be making an appearance tonight as he pitched four relief innings against the Diamond Dawgs last night, allowing one earned run and striking out four in the three and two-thirds innings. Giansanti, on the other hand, serves Coach Mayotte’s team as primarily and offensive weapon this season. Smashing both his and the teams’ first homerun of the season in last night’s game.

During the 40-game regular season last year, the Golden Eagles defeated the Wizards six out of eight games the two teams’ played, losing one game each at Watertown and at home.

“Long bus rides are just part of being a professional baseball player.” Mayotte said. “The challenge for the players during the summer is to prepare mentally, emotionally, and physically for each and every game.”

Freshmen righty Tony Dischler (Louisiana Monroe) starts his second game of the season tonight. In his last start, against Saratoga, Dischler lasted six innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out seven in the no-decision.

Glen Falls closes out week two of the 2009 NYCBL summer wood-bat baseball season on Sunday against the Albany Dutchmen at Bleecker Stadium. In their game of the season, the Golden Eagles defeated the Dutchmen 3-1 in extra innings. Albany’s win-loss record stands at 2-3 this season and they host the Amsterdam Mohawks tonight.

by Eric Rushia

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