Two Golden Eagles returning for another summer in Glens Falls

Senior outfielder Mike Ferraro (San Deigo) and junior starting pitcher Willie Beard (Rutgers) both expect an increased role on the team come the 2010 summer.

By Eric Rushia, SID

GLENS FALLS—As Fall baseball heats up around the college baseball landscape, Glens Falls Golden Eagles head coach John Mayotte has already recruited two 2009 Golden Eagles. Now entering his seventh season as the lone skipper in Golden Eagles history, Mayotte knows what to expect from both players' leadership and abilities on-and-off the field.

Senior outfielder Mike Ferraro (San Deigo) and junior starting pitcher Willie Beard (Rutgers) both expect an increased role on the team come the 2010 summer.

Both players plan to improved their own overall production, with Ferraro seeing more pitches from the batters' box and Beard facing more hitters from the rubber.

Nagging injuries plagued Ferraro for most of the 2009 summer season. His first hit came in mid-July against the eventual 2009 New York Collegiate Baseball League champions, the Amsterdam Mohawks,.

Though when it came time for the postseason, Ferraro excelled on their field.

Starting in all five Glens Falls Golden Eagles playoff games, scoring three runs, and slugging one homerun with four RBI, Ferraro lead the team in at-bats (20), total bases (8), and slugging percentage (.400). also batted .346 in seven games during the regular season.

Playing primarily the role of designated hitter during the regular season, Ferraro smashed two homeruns, knocked nine hits, and totaled 10 bases in just seven games.

Beard started five games during the 2009 regular season, posting a perfect 4-0 win-loss record, leading the Golden Eagles' pitching staff with 34 strikeouts, and ranking third on the team with a 2.06 ERA.

Beard's first loss didn't come until Glens Falls home playoff opener against the Saratoga Phillies.

Despite holding opponents to a mere .158 batting average in just one postseason start, Beard lasted six innings and allowed only one earned run on three hits.