SARATOGA SPRINGS - Soaking wet and spitting out globs of shaving
cream courtesy of teammate Gary Derhagopian, Anthony Giansanti could
finally relax and smile.
The Golden Eagles’ center fielder sweated out most of the day
waiting for a call from a Major League team, which he got around 2
p.m. from the Oakland Athletics. But the Siena College junior had
little time to celebrate — he had one last final exam to take in
accounting.
"Hopefully the teacher will be a little lenient on the grade
because I know I couldn’t focus," Giansanti said.
Giansanti, who was chosen in the 49th round, was among 11 former and
current Golden Eagles players drafted over the past three days.
"I bleed green and yellow," Giansanti said. "From
the Siena, to the Golden Eagles, to the Oakland A’s."
With his childhood dream taken care of, Giansanti went after the
Saratoga Phillies, going 3-for-4 with a double and two runs scored
in the Golden Eagles’ 6-0 win over the Phillies at East Side Rec
on Thursday.
Depending on what the A’s front office decides, Giansanti could
finish his season out with the Eagles or head off to Florida to play
rookie ball.
"Right now I just wait," he said. "I think this is
the most stressful part. ... For now, I can take a deep breath and
let them do the work from now."
"Well, that’s all right," said head coach John Mayotte
about possibly losing his starting center fielder. "Someone
will take his place, but we’re happy for him. I’m not going to
be selfish about those things. Those are the kids’ dreams."
It took just five batters for Glens Falls to take a 2-0 lead in the
top of the first. Rodarrick Jones’ RBI double drove in Giansanti.
A single by Justin Zumwalde brought Jones home.
Glens Falls tacked on another run in the third inning on a
sacrifice fly by Jones to score Giansanti.
With the Eagles’ bats going, things got worse for the Phillies
when Glens Falls’ Nathan Forer headed to the mound. The junior
right-hander from Southern Illinois University didn’t give up a
hit until the fourth inning or a walk until the bottom of the eighth
inning.
Forer finished with four strikeouts, one walk and three hits.
"He was amazing," Mayotte said. "He had great
stuff, great command. He was averaging about 10 pitches per inning,
which is unheard of. ... That’s as good of a power-pitching
performance that I’ve seen since I’ve been here."
The Phillies’ best shot came in the bottom of the eighth when
Forer walked pinch hitter Patrick Reardon to load the bases with one
out. Max McEleney hit into a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning and
the Phillies’ chance of a comeback.
Glens Falls scored two more runs in the ninth inning to secure its
first win this year over the Phillies, a team they beat in every
game last season.
GLENS FALLS SARATOGA
ab r h rbi ab r h rbi
Moreno, ss 5 0 0 0 Allaire, 3b 4 0 0 0
Giansanti, cf 3 2 3 0 Bowers, cf 4 0 1 0
Jones, lf 3 3 2 1 Silverstein, ss 3 0 0 0
Lamont, 3b 3 0 1 0 Augustine, 1b 3 0 0 0
Zumwalde, rf 4 0 2 1 Carvutto, rf 3 0 1 0
Phillips, 2b 5 0 2 0 Sharrar, c 3 0 0 0
Derhagopian, c 4 0 0 0 Fann, dh 3 0 1 0
Valdez, 1b 4 0 0 0 Zeller 2 0 1 0
Barry, dh 4 0 1 0 Reardon 2 0 0 0
Totals 32 6 11 2 Totals 27 0 3 0
Glens Falls (5-2) 201 000 012 — 6
Saratoga (3-5) 000 000 000 — 0
E — Carvutto, Phillips. DP — Glens Falls, Saratoga. LOB —
Glens Falls 9, Saratoga 4. 2B — Jones, Giansanti, Lamont. SB —
Berry. SF — Jones, Zumwalde. CS — Giansanti.
IP H R ER BB SO
Glesn Falls
Forer 8 3 0 0 1 4
Watts 1 0 0 0 0 2
Saratoga
Hartman 7 6 3 3 2 2
Chambers 2 4 3 1 2 1
WP — Hartman.