AMSTERDAM—Despite an offensive explosion from first-place Glens Falls (25-9) that saw solo shots from sophomore third basemen Chris Lashmet (Northwestern), junior right fielder Anthony Giansanti (Siena), and sophomore first basemen Sean Lamont (Georgetown), the second-place Amsterdam Mohawks (22-11) defeated the Golden Eagles 9-4 in front of 700 fans on a rainy, dreary, Tuesday night at Shuttleworth Park.
The loss marks the third time in their last four games against the Mohawks, the Glens Falls Golden Eagles came up on the losing end. Glens Falls now leads the East Division by just two and one-half games with eight scheduled games left to play.
The Mohawks, who defeated the Golden Eagles in four of six games this summer, have just seven regular-season games remaining before the playoffs start on August 1.
The Golden Eagles next play the last-place Albany Dutchmen, who they shutout 4-0 on Sunday, for a 7 p.m. scheduled start time at East Field and again play Amsterdam at home for a 1 p.m. game on Saturday, July 25.
Though the offensive kept Glens Falls afloat for most of the game, Amsterdam teed off on the Golden Eagles bullpen, breaking through for five runs on three hits and five errors in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings.
Sloppy defense proved to be the difference, as the Golden Eagles committed five total errors compared to the Mohawks two. Runners left on base also figured in the Glens Falls' ninth loss this season, as the Golden Eagles left nine men on base compared to seven from the Amsterdam Mohawks.
Glens Falls finished with nine total hits, just one short of Amsterdam's 10.
Lashmet scored his game-high second run when, after reaching base via an Amsterdam fielding error, an RBI single from sophomore infielder Nate Valdez (Central Arizona) in the top half of the six had the Golden Eagles within one run at 4-3.
Lashmet put the East Division-leading Golden Eagles on the board first with his third homerun and 12th RBI of the 2009 summer season, thus giving Glens Falls a 1-0 after just two innings.
With clutch back-to-back singles from Lashmet and Valdez in the fourth and the Golden Eagles trailing 2-1 after a two-run homer from Tony Patane (Maine) in the third, Glens Falls looked poised for another two-out rally, but such a rally never materialized and the Golden Eagles ended the inning scoreless.
Starting his second game this summer, sophomore right-hander Alex Frederick (Clemson) picked up his first loss, pitching three innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits with two strikeouts before junior reliever Jamie Storey (Houston Baptist), appearing in his seventh game this season, entered the game to start the fourth inning.
The Mohawks earned four runs off Storey in his three and two-thirds innings pitched. Sophomore righty Willie Beard (Rutgers) made his seventh appearance tonight, pitching one and one-third innings, allowing zero hits and walking three.
The three solo homeruns were the only extra base hits the Golden Eagles mustered against the Amsterdam pitching staff.
Giansanti, Lashmet, and Valdez all had two hits apiece. Freshmen outfielder Rodarrick Jones (New Orleans) and Steve Zavala (Rutgers) each added one hit. Zavala and junior Gary DerHagopian (Siena) also worked walks.