Glens Falls, NY – Before an excited crowd of over 600 at East Field Sunday evening, the Glens Falls Golden Eagles maintained the team’s lead in the Eastern Division of the PGCBL by defeating the Mohawk Valley DiamondDawgs 7-5. The Golden Eagles took the lead in the first inning and never relinquished that lead despite a comeback by the DiamondDawgs in the seventh.

Glens Falls took its first lead to begin the game in the first inning as John Rooney (Siena) reached on an error and scored on a Ricky Claudio (St. Thomas) triple which had him blazing around the bases. Claudio would then score on a wild pitch from Mohawk Valley starter Logan Carman (Southern Maine) to give the Golden Eagles an early two run lead.

Responding in the top of the third, Nic Spence (Cincinnati) led off with a double and then scored the first DiamondDawg run of the night on a Hassan Evans (Herkimer County CC) single. Tying the game at two runs apiece would be the shortstop Tyler Townsend (Kentucky) on an RBI single to score Evans.

Heading into the bottom half of the inning, Glens Falls scored three runs as Rooney reached on an error once again followed by a Kyle Ruchim (Northwestern) walk. Following a Claudio bunt to advance the runners, David Olson (Tacoma CC) smashed a two-RBI double to put the Golden Eagles up 4-2. Mike Kindel would top off the run scoring for the inning with an RBI single increasing the lead to three runs.

Entering the home half of the sixth, Glens Falls added another run as Kindel led off with a single and then stole his third base of the game to take second. A walk to Mike Tirri (Albany) and a bunt by Dan Klein (Kansas St.) would set the stage for a 6-3 groundout by shortstop Anthony Pisani (Southern Maine) to score Kindel giving the Golden Eagles a 6-2 lead off Mohawk Valley pitcher Mike Bradstreet (Rhode Island).

Mounting a comeback in the seventh, Mohawk Valley’s Gunn led off with a single and was followed by a Nic Spence double to put runners on second and third with no outs off Kevin Cowan (Albany). Gunn would come home from third to score on an Evans groundout to the pitcher cutting the lead to 6-3. The DiamondDawgs then scored its fourth run as Mike Fasolo (Mohawk Valley CC) hit an RBI single to score Spence. Mohawk Valley would score its final run of the evening as Cullen Wacker (Auburn) hit in Fasolo leaving the Golden Eagles with a lead of just a single run.

An insurance run would come by the bat of Kindel in the bottom of the seventh as he hit a sacrifice fly to right to score Claudio who had reached on a walk giving Glens Falls its final 7-5 lead.

Closing out the game for the Golden Eagles by pitching both the eighth and ninth innings was Ruchim moving to the mound from second to earn his fifth save on the season. Ruchim was stellar on the rubber striking out six of the seven batters he faced.

Earning the win for Glens Falls was Brennan Perry (3-1) who went five strong innings allowing one run while striking out three batters. Taking the loss for Mohawk Valley was Carman (1-3) who went five innings allowing six runs (five earned) while compiling four strikeouts.

Starring for the DiamondDawgs were Spence and Evans Sunday evening as Spence hit a pair of doubles and scored twice while Evans picked up two hits, a run, and a pair of RBIs. Leading the Golden Eagles were Olson and Kindel as Olson went three for four with two doubles, a run scored, and two RBIs. Kindel also scored a run and drove in a pair while going two for three with three stolen bases including two in the third inning.

Monday, the Golden Eagles (15-9) will host the Amsterdam Mohawks in a key Eastern Division matchup for “Bark in the Park” Night to benefit Guiding Eyes for the Blind. After a day off Monday, the DiamondDawgs (7-18) will host the Watertown Wizards Tuesday evening.

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