Great Pitching and Late Innings Heroics Give Golden Eagles Win in Opener

June 10, 2011
Matt Arietta
Glens Falls Golden Eagles

Glens Falls, NY- For the fans who came out to see the 2011 home opener for the Golden Eagles at East Field Stadium in Glens Falls, they were not left disappointed in how the game Friday night played out. The game featured great pitching throughout the entire game. Golden Eagles pitching alone fanned seventeen on their way to their first win of the season. The Golden Eagles now stand at a record of 1-1, while the Amsterdam Mohawks are 0-2. 

This recap would be incomplete if not for the mention of the pitching performance tonight by Golden Eagles starter Nick Gonzalez, a freshman from South Florida. Although Gonzalez was given a no-decision due to the Mohawk’s resurgence in the top of the ninth tying the game at three a piece, the fans on hand all knew how great of a game he pitched. Nick pitched five innings of no-hit baseball scattering two walks, and a hit batsmen. The most impressive statistic of the night however is that Nick was able to strike out eleven of the seventeen batters that he faced, before exiting the game after the fifth. 

Amsterdam’s pitching was dominant as well holding Glens Falls hitters to two runs until the home half of the eighth inning. This helped keep the Mohawks in the game even with the lack of production from their offense throughout most of the early and middle parts of the contest. 

Golden Eagles offense was ignited in the second after Yavapai College infielder, Josh Anderson lead off the frame with a walk, and later came around to score. Glens Falls put up one in the fifth, and then stayed silent until the ninth when both offenses came to life.      

The ninth inning of tonight’s contest was definitely one to stick around for. Down three to zero, Amsterdam hitters posted three runs to tie the game during their last licks. In the bottom of the ninth, Zac Hawkins, a freshman from LSU-Eunice, singled for the Golden Eagles, followed by a walk by Albany junior Michael Tirri. The game came to a close in not so pretty ‘walk-off’ fashion, when an error was committed helping Northwestern freshman Kyle Ruchim to reach safely and give Zac Hawkins enough time to end the tie and grant the Golden Eagles victorious in their first home game of 2011. The game ended with a final score of 4-3. Glens Falls pitcher, Chris Myers, a sophomore from Georgia Southern is credited with the win, while Louisiana State pitcher, Jimmy Dykstra takes the loss.