GLENS FALLS—For the third time this season, the Glens Falls Golden Eagles needed one extra inning to defeated the Albany Dutchmen, winning Sunday's afternoon game 5-4 on a pinch-hit, walk-off single through the sixth-hole from freshman infielder Kevin Berry (New Orleans) that scored freshman shortstop Eric Phillips (Georgia Southern)
"You just have to fight it off and control what you can control. I was really looking for a ball to drive," Berry said. "He threw me a fastball, I swung at the top of it and it made it through."
Phillips reached base in all five of his at-bats and finished the game with two runs scored and three
singles.
"Just trying to make contact and get a pitch up I can handle," Phillips said. "I worked the sixth hole tonight just trying to get on a base."
Pinch-hitting in the ninth for sophomore second baseman Nick Judkins (Iowa Central C.C.), who was playing in his first game as a Golden Eagle, Berry slapped a single past the diving Dutchmen shortstop allowing Phillips to score the game-winning run.
"Our pinch-hitter had a great at-bat," Glens Falls Golden Eagles head coach John Mayotte said. "He got to a 3-2 count, fouled off some pitches, and hung in till he got one he liked."
Phillips, batting .313 headed into today's game, now ranks third on the team with 10 runs scored this season and tied for the team lead senior right fielder Anthony Giansanti (Siena) in hits (23). Berry delivered for his fifth RBI and 11 hit this season.
Glens Falls scored four runs in the second and third innings. By games' end, the Golden Eagles totaled six walks, a hit-by-pitch, and seven hits. Glens Falls committed three errors compared to two from the Dutchmen. Five of the Golden Eagles' seven hits came from the fifth inning on.
"We didn't have many hits again, but pitching and defense win games," Mayotte said. "A'Hearn was the key; he got the big outs when we needed it the last three innings."
Making his second appearance this season, his first as a starter, sophomore right-hander Alex Frederick (Clemson) pitched five quality innings, allowing two earned runs and striking out three.
Notching his second win of the season in four total appearances, sophomore right-hander Jerry A'Hearn (Central Arizona) relieved freshman Zach Kraham (Albany), who pitched two innings and allowed one earned run, worked his way out of two bases-loaded jams in both the eighth and 10th innings, allowing just two hits in three innings and striking out three.
Behind a two-run homerun over the left-field wall from junior catcher Gary Derhagopian (Siena), his second homer this season, the Golden Eagles took an early 2-0 lead in as many innings.
Walks from Giansanti and sophomore third baseman Chris Lashmet (Northwestern) put Glens Falls in position to add two more runs in the third.
After an Albany fielding error and a wild pitch allowed Giansanti to score his team-leading 24th run this season, sophomore first baseman Sean Lamont (Georgetown) reached base on a fielder's choice that allowed Lashmet to score from third and gave the Golden Eagles a commanding three-run lead.
Despite one-hit from the Golden Eagles through the game's first four innings, a Phillips single in the fifth, a Lamont double in the sixth, a double from freshman left fielder Rodarrick Jones (New Orleans) in the seventh, followed shortly by another Phillips single, pushed the Glens Falls hit total to five hits heading into the games' final three innings.
Lamont now stands tied with Giansanti for the team-lead in doubles with six.
With two outs in the third, the Dutchmen scored one run on a wild pitch and added another run in the fifth when back-to-back leadoff hits had Albany down just two runs heading into the seventh inning. Once again, the Dutchmen plated two more runs and tied to game at 4-4.
The game remained tied until the 10th inning. Three of the five games played between Albany and Glens Falls this season have gone to extra innings, with the Golden Eagles winning two on the road and this one at home.
Leading off the 10th with a sharp single to shallow left on the first pitch he saw, Phillips became the potential game-winning run. Phillips then advanced to second a sacrifice from Derhagopian.
An intentional walk to Lamont, followed by a sacrifice fly from sophomore designated hitter Nate Valdez (Central Arizona) placed Phillips 90-feet away from scoring the games' final run.
Stepping up to the plate for the first time all day, the pinch-hitting infielder Berry poked a clutch two-out single past the outstretched glove of the Dutchmen shortstop, scoring Phillips and giving the first-place Golden Eagles their 14th win in 18 games this 2009 season.
The Golden Eagles play a doubleheader tomorrow (June 29) against the third place Watertown Wizards. First pitch scheduled for 5 p.m., but come to East Field a little early, as it will be free ice cream night, sponsored by Stewarts. The second game will begin approximately 30 minutes after the first one wraps up. Glens Falls ends June with a 7 p.m. game against the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs on Tuesday. Tickets for Tuesday's game will cost $1 as it will be "Break the Attendance Night" at the ballpark.