JUNE 27, 2004
Golden Eagles sweep Plattsburgh
By MICHAEL LEWIS

GLENS FALLS -- Maybe the Glens Falls Golden Eagles are getting bored with winning.

It would certainly be understandable, since they'd won 17 of their first 20 games this season.

Saturday night at East Field, the best team in the NYCBL made the home fans sweat in the final inning in two different games, but both times Glens Falls came out on top.

The Golden Eagles swept a doubleheader from the Plattsburgh Thunder, taking the opener 6-5 and holding on for a 2-0 win in the nightcap.

That's now nine consecutive wins for the Golden Eagles, who head into the All-Star break with a 19-3 record.

"It was exciting, but everybody goes home happy, right?" Eagles coach John Mayotte said. "We've got a lot of faith in our pitching, so I knew we'd get through those jams all right."

The opening game was a back-and-forth battle that saw Plattsburgh knock around Glens Falls starter Jim Jansen.

After Glens Falls took a 3-1 lead in the bottom of the third on a two-run double by Chris Carlson, Plattsburgh (10-9) struck right back.

The Thunder scored three runs in the top of the fourth off Jansen, a righthander from Rutgers University, to take a 4-3 edge.

But Plattsburgh starter Jeff Farrell couldn't hold the lead. In the bottom of the fifth, David Williams led off with a single, and after a sacrifice bunt, Carlson slapped an infield hit to third.

After Eric Lawson flew out, designated hitter Tommy Hill smacked the biggest hit of the game. Hill lofted a 2-2 offering high over the left field fence and onto Haskell Avenue for a three-run home run, putting the Golden Eagles up, 6-4.

"You never expect a home run, but Tommy just crushed that ball," Carlson said. "You never know who's going to hit for us on any given night, which is why it's been so much fun."

The drama wasn't over yet, though. Leading 6-5 in the seventh, Eagles reliever Shawn Ryan did his best Mitch Williams impression. Ryan struck out the first two batters, then walked the bases loaded.

With the crowd and his teammates nervous, Ryan fanned Ryan Mingin to end the game.

In the nightcap, the Golden Eagles bats were quiet for a while thanks to a stellar outing from Plattsburgh righty Scott Massey.

But with two outs in the fourth, Glens Falls finally got its offense going and snapped a scoreless game.

Ryan Basham singled, and then Carlson stepped up and tattooed the first patch over center for a two-run home run.

"He threw me three straight fastballs last time up, so I was guessing fastball again and hit it hard," Carlson said. "Best feeling in the world when you hit one like that."

Glens Falls starter Joel Boeschen, making his first start of the season, was sharp, tossing six innings of shutout ball and allowing five hits.

But in the seventh the Thunder threatened against reliever Randy Cornejo, putting runners on second and third with one out.

Cornejo, who got the save against Watertown Friday night, struck out Ryan Ghiandi and got Nolan Phillips on a comebacker that deflected off Cornejo's ankle before the putout was made.

The Golden Eagles return home Tuesday night to play Plattsburgh again at 7.