Golden Eagles Ranked #16 in Nation

Glens Falls Golden Eagles

June 22, 2011

Andrew Nadler

Glens Falls, NY – Although the players of the Glens Falls Golden Eagles have only been playing and practicing together under Head Coach John Mayotte for just over two weeks, the team has already come together to assemble a 7-2 record in PGCBL play while being ranked within the top 25 summer collegiate baseball teams in the country this season in a recent poll.

Wednesday, Perfect Game CrossChecker and CollegeSummerBaseball.net released the rankings list of the top 25 teams playing summer collegiate baseball in the nation. As the lone representative of the newly formed Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball league (PGCBL), the Golden Eagles rank 16^th in the first poll of the season.

A team’s ranking is based upon the league’s competition level, prospective professional quality talent level of the team, the team’s record, and the team’s league dominance. A team must also have .500 winning percentage at minimum to be considered for ranking.

After losing its first game to start the season on the road at Mohawk Valley, the Golden Eagles began to display the dominance that has earned the team its national ranking. Since winning its home opener June 10^th, Glens Falls has gone undefeated at East Field (6-0) while only losing one tough game to the Albany Dutchmen on the road this past Sunday.

Behind the Golden Eagles’ dominance has been excellent pitching, defense, and offense. Team starting pitchers Nick Gonzalez (South Florida) and Neil Fryer (Siena) were named the Co-PGCBL Pitchers of the Week this past week each with ERAs below 2.00 and a combined 22 strikeouts over 21 innings.

Defensively, Glens Falls ranks first in the PGCBL in fielding percentage at .982 with solid team defense being displayed around the diamond but particularly up the middle where shortstop Anthony Pisani (Southern Maine) and second baseman Roger Bernal (Texas Pan American) have formed a potent double-play tandem.

To go along with the team’s pitching and defense, the Golden Eagles have also experienced offensive success so far in the young season leading the league with a .274 batting average, 80 hits, and the fewest strikeouts with 47. Leading Glens Falls offensively has been third baseman Josh Anderson (Yavapai) who is leading the league in RBIs with 12 and a .286/.324/.543 line. Setting the plate for the Golden Eagles offense has been Siena’s left fielder John Rooney who has compiled an impressive .529 on base percentage.

The Golden Eagles resume PGCBL play this Friday as the team travels to Amsterdam. Glens Falls returns to East Field this Sunday, June 26^th to face Mohawk Valley at 7pm for Price Chopper Reading Program Night.

For more information on the Glens Falls Golden Eagles, please follow the team’s Twitter account and Facebook page and visit the team website at http://www.glensfallsgoldeneagles.com

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