Golden Eagles (#33) Clinch Playoff Spot While Ruchim has a Field Day at Doubleday

Matt Arietta

Glens Falls Golden Eagles

July 27, 2011

Cooperstown, NY - Your Glens Falls Golden Eagles traveled to baseball town, Cooperstown, NY yesterday to take on the Hawkeyes for a double header at Doubleday Field. The double header was necessary due to the rain out back on Wednesday July 6^th.

On the mound for your Golden Eagles in game one was St. Louis University Freshman, Derek Mazzio. Mazzio pitched great in the shortened game (7 innings). The Chesterfield, Missouri native went seven innings, allowing two runs (both earned) on six hits. Also out of the twenty-five batters faced he struck out five walking none and hit Danny Nelson (Cal State Monterey Bay) who lead off the game for the Hawkeyes. With the victory in game one, Mazzio, a member of the Eastern Conference team in the All-Star Game in Elmira, NY back on July 18^th, improved to 2-1 on the season.

Helping Mazzio out on the mound in game one was the Golden Eagles offense who once again this season lit up Doubleday Park with their bats. Game one was highlighted a couple multi-hit games from Ricky Claudio (St. Thomas), Kyle Ruchim (Northwestern), and Josh Anderson (Yavapai).

Highlighting the night was Kyle Ruchim who hit a two run blast way out in left center in the top of the fourth inning last night driving in teammate, Ricky Claudio who reached in the previous at-bat with a walk. Ruchim ended the game by going 2 for 3 with a single and home run along with a walk in the third. He also had two runs batted in and runs scored.

With the win in game one the Golden Eagles improved to 25-15 on the season, one game away from clinching the second playoff spot in the Eastern Division of the PGCBL.

Game two featured more of the same as the first as the Golden Eagles did not let up their relentless offensive assault on Hawkeyes pitching. In game two Golden Eagles pitcher Brennan Perry was helped by once again by second basemen Kyle Ruchim and outfielder Cody Lewis. The two Golden Eagles posted mulit-hit games. Cody Lewis highlighted his night with a double in the fourth inning. He finished the night going two for three with an run batted in, in the first inning as his two out single drove in teammate Mike Kindel (Kansas State) who was on from a ground rule RBI double.

With the offense’s ability to give Perry the lead, he was able to go four and two thirds of an inning allowing two runs (one earned) on four hits. Perry was crossing up the Hawkeyes bats all night as he finished with seven strike outs after facing twenty-one batters.

In relief of Perry was Siena’s Neil Fryer who went an inning and a third before leaving way for Dylan Baker (Tacoma CC) to record his first save of the season and nail down the Golden Eagles 4-2 victory. Fryer on the night allowed one hit and struck out one of the five batters he faced, as Baker went an inning K’ing two of the three he faced in the process.

With the victory in game two the Golden Eagles clinched a spot in the PGCBL playoffs at a record of 26-15. They will now fight with Amsterdam who clinched a playoff spot last week for home field advantage as the regular season winds to an end.

The Golden Eagles, who are ranked thirty-third in the country amongst all college baseball teams in the country, continue their season today versus last night’s foe the Cooperstown Hawkeyes at East Field at seven o’clock for All-American Baseball Night. Please come out and cheer your Golden Eagles to a win!

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