By BRETT ORZECHOWSKI
orzechowski@poststar.com
GLENS FALLS -- Summer nights are long for Golden Eagles catcher Josh Burt. Never mind the upstate New York humidity or the influx of black flies in the Adirondack air, catching in the New York Collegiate Baseball League does have more challenges.
After becoming the Golden Eagles' everyday catcher less than a week upon his arrival from Dayton, Burt had one bullpen session before trying to juggle the pitching staff. For the most part, he has succeeded defensively.
Then there are nights like Friday, when one inning feels longer than the Midwest plains bus trips he takes at Dayton.
Burt was behind the plate as Mohawk Valley touched reliever Justin Mattes for five runs in the eighth inning in the Cobras' 11-5 victory at East Field, officially eliminating the Golden Eagles from the NYCBL playoffs.
They are nine games out of second place with eight to play.
"What inning was that? The fifth?" a bleary-eyed Burt said. "In a situation like that, you just have to keep positive. Everyone: you, your pitcher, your team. Because if people see a catcher down, then everyone follows. Even though anything can still happen even after the eighth, you still have to stay upbeat. It's a catcher's responsibility."
These are chances Golden Eagles coach John Mayotte must take. Mattes pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings Thursday night against Saratoga and was called on after starter Shaun McNamara pitched seven innings while striking out nine against the Cobras.
The Queensbury graduate pitched well as a starter during the Spartans' 2003 state final run, but in this collegiate summer league, Mayotte has used him as a reliever and Mattes has usually produced.
Except in the eighth, Mohawk Valley John Tine launched a two-run homer to right to punctuate the five-run inning. Tine pulled a 1-0 fastball that has worked well for Mattes in previous appearances.
Mayotte took another chance with the right-hander, but Mohawk Valley figured Mattes out.
"Maybe it was a case of not utilizing a reliever like him often enough this season," Mayotte said. "Look, he's not Mariano Rivera, but we're going to try to give the kid a chance. He usually has it. He didn't have it, though, and those are the chances you take."
Glens Falls' leading hitter, Queensbury product Will Groff, drove in two runs with an RBI single and a sacrifice fly in the fourth. The Golden Eagles chased Mohawk Valley starter Adam Ruszcowski after four innings, but relievers Jamie Degidio and Luke Demko allowed just one hit in the final five innings to close out the win.
But for Burt, he has made the most of his opportunity to start all but two games behind the plate. His offensive struggles have been negated by a quality defensive summer, one which serves as a test for his upcoming season at Dayton.
Burt has platooned for much of his collegiate career at Dayton with a catcher who graduated this spring. This is his third summer league and the most formidable competition he's faced. He's handled a pitching staff in little time. He's had longer summers.
He also said he's been in longer games.
"It's all part of the job," Burt said. "There are never short games."
Burt then picked up a rake and smoothed out the catcher's box. The Golden Eagles host Amsterdam tonight at 7. Burt will be there.
MOHAWK VALLEY GLENS FALLS
ab r h bi ab r h bi
Embree lf 3 0 0 0 Groff 3b 4 0 1 2
Degamo ss 5 1 2 0 Clausen cf 4 0 1 0
Mizurak dh 5 0 0 0 Hughes lf 5 0 2 0
O'Rourke 3b 4 3 2 1 Valdez dh 4 0 0 0
Maycock 1b 4 2 2 1 Ferguson rf 4 0 0 0
Parkinson 2b 5 2 3 2 Konstanty 1b 3 1 0 0
Paskowski rf 5 0 1 1 Hagey ss 3 2 1 0
Demma cf 4 2 2 3 Cox 2b 2 1 1 1
Tine c 4 1 1 2 Burt c 3 1 1 1
Clark ph 1 0 0 0
Totals 39 11 13 10 Totals 33 5 7 4
Mohawk Valley 200 101 151 -- 11
Glens Falls 002 300 000 -- 5
E -- Hagey (2), Burt, Cox, Ruszcowski. LOB -- Mohawk Valley 8, Glens Falls 9. 2B -- Parkinson (2), Maycock, Degeranamo, Hughes, Cox. HR -- Tine. SF -- Groff.
IP H R ER BB SO
Mohawk Valley
Ruszcowski 4 6 5 4 3 6
Degidio, W 2 2/3 1 0 0 1 3
Demko 1 1/3 0 0 0 2 3
Glens Falls
McNamara 7 6 5 5 1 9
Mattes, L 1/3 5 5 5 1 1
McGown-Walker 1 2/3 2 1 1 0 0
WP -- Ruszcowski, McNamara. PB -- Burt. T -- 2:57. A -- 167 (est).