JUNE 14, 2004
Pitching does it for Eagles
Cornejo, Zamzow throw shutouts in doubleheader sweeP
By MICHAEL LEWIS - mlewis@poststar.com

GLENS FALLS -- David Williams has noticed something about Randy Cornejo and Brett Zamzow.

Sure, they can pitch a baseball pretty effectively.

But also. ...

"They talk funny, have you noticed that?" said Williams, a teammate of the pair on the Glens Falls Golden Eagles. "They're from Texas, so I guess you have to forgive them a little.

"But they do talk weird."

Williams chuckled again, as well he should. For it is Cornejo and Zamzow who may be the two brightest lights on a Golden Eagles pitching staff that right now is obliterating the batting averages of New York Collegiate Baseball League hitters.

Sunday afternoon at East Field, Cornejo and Zamzow, teammates at Navarro (Tex.) Junior College, both tossed seven-inning complete-game shutouts in a doubleheader sweep of the Watertown Wizards.

Cornejo allowed just three hits in Glens Falls' 4-0 win in Game 1, and Williams' pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the seventh gave Zamzow a 1-0 decision in the nightcap.

The pair of triumphs gave the Golden Eagles a six-game winning streak and lifted Glens Falls (9-2) into first place in the NYCBL's Eastern Division.

"Every game we're finding some way to win, whether it's by a little or a lot," said Zamzow, who is now 3-0. "Everybody's loose and everybody's having a good time."

It's been quite a week for Zamzow, a 6-foot-5 inch, 205-pound right-hander from Houston. On Tuesday he was chosen by the Texas Rangers in the 28th round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft.

Zamzow said he was excited and flattered to be chosen, but that he'd talked with the Rangers and they told him they just want to hold his rights, not sign him right away.

"I knew they were looking at me for the future, but it's still great when the phone rings and it's a major league team on the other end, telling you they picked you," Zamzow said.

A two-sport athlete in high school, Zamzow said he decided to concentrate on baseball when scouts told him his future was brighter on the diamond.

"There's a lot of great ballplayers in Texas, so for him to be at a junior college doesn't mean he doesn't have great potential," Glens Falls head coach John Mayotte said. "He's got a great upside."

A lanky thrower with an excellent curveball, he went 5-1 for Navarro last season and has been dominant for Glens Falls.

Sunday he used his breaking ball to fool the Wizards (2-6) and pitch out of a sticky jam in the fourth. With runners on first and third and one out, Zamzow fanned Brian McLaughlin on three pitches, then got a break when catcher Aaron Hepner threw out Watertown's Shawn Hayes on a steal attempt at second.

Zamzow finally got support in the last of the seventh, when the Eagles got a one-out walk from Brad Beatty followed by a single by Hepner.

Williams, who played the opener but sat out the second game, was called upon to pinch-hit and nubbed a 2-2 fastball into right field, scoring pinch-runner Steven Calicutt.

In the first game, Cornejo showed he won't be overshadowed by Zamzow this summer. The 5-9 righty wasn't overpowering but was economical in his pitches, walking just three.

First baseman Chris Carlson provided the offense for Glens Falls, going 3-for-3 and driving in two runs to support Cornejo.

Glens Falls is back in action tonight at 7 p.m. at the Saratoga Phillies at East Side Rec.