NYCBL Finals Preview

New York Collegiate Baseball League Finals
Brockport Riverbats (27-15 regular season, 4-0 playoffs) at Glens Falls Golden Eagles (31-10 regular season, 4-1 playoffs)

Game 1 at Clark V. Whited Complex at the College of Brockport at 3 PM today
Game 2 at East Field Stadium 7 PM Friday
Game 3 at East Field Stadium 1 PM Saturday*
*if necessary


How they got here

Brockport: The Riverbats locked up the second seed in the west with their 27-15 record. After a two-game sweep of the Geneva Red Wings in the Western Division semi-finals, Brockport proceeded to push aside the top-seeded Hornell Dodgers. The Dodgers owned the best record in the league, one half-game ahead of the Golden Eagles. The Riverbats outscored the Red Wings 12-2 in the Division semi-finals and outscored the Dodgers 10-5. With the third day off in each series, Brockport should have their pitching at full strength. The Riverbats are holding opponents to a .171 batting average in the playoffs.

Glens Falls: The Golden Eagles are making their second-straight appearance in the NYCBL Finals. For the second year in a row, the yellow birds locked up homefield advantage but are going out west for Game 1. Games 2 and 3 (if necessary) will belong to East Field. Glens Falls earned their first postseason sweep in franchise history with a first-round victory of the fourth-seeded Watertown Wizards. The Golden Eagles found themselves in familiar territory in the Division finals with a series-deciding Game 3 at East Field. The second-seeded Amsterdam Mohawks held the advantage in the season series and the postseason series lived up to the hype. The Golden Eagles needed a furious comeback to win Game 1 and needed to hold a Mohawks comeback in Game 3 to wrap up the series. The three games were decided by a total of five runs.


Who's hot

Brockport:
Richard Royal, C (South Carolina) .400 average in two games, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 5 BB, 0 K, .700 OBP
Jesse Bosnik, IF (St. Bonaventure) .333 average in four games, 3 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, .474 OBP, 2 SB
Billy Herman, IF (Slippery Rock) .231 average in four games, 4 R, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 7 BB, .500 OBP

Glens Falls:
Scott Lawson, IF (Miami) .478 average in five games, 3 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K, .520 OBP, 8 SB
Luis Feliz, OF (Rutgers) .467 average in five games, 4 R, 2 2B, 1 HR, .800 SLG, 5 BB, .600 OBP, 3 SB
Jonathan White, OF (Vanderbilt) .333 average in five games, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 3 BB, .440 OBP, 4 SB


Pitching Probables

Brockport:
Game 1- Ryan O'Rourke (Merrimack)
Playoffs: 1-0, 1.12 ERA, 8 IP, 1 R, 8 K, 2 BB, .148 OBA
Regular season: 6-1, 2.61 ERA in eight starts, ten total appearances, 48.1 IP, 52 K, 12 BB, .217 OBA

Game 2- Logan Hull (Texas Lutheran)
Playoffs: 1-0, 1.29 ERA, 7 IP, 1 R, 6 K, 4 BB, .095 OBA
Regular season: 4-2, 3.15 ERA in seven starts, eight total appearances, 45.2 IP, 36 K, 20 BB, .215 OBA

Game 3- PJ Saporito (NJIT)
Playoffs: 1-0, 1.23 ERA, 7.1 IP, 1 R, 5 K, 0 BB, .160 OBA
Regular season: 4-4, 2.75 ERA in nine starts, ten total appearances, 59.0 IP, 54 K, 8 BB, .279 OBA

Glens Falls:
Game 1- Shane Davis (Canisius)
Playoffs: 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 8 IP, 3 R, 4 K, 0 BB, .250 OBA
Regular season: 5-0, 0.33 ERA, 54.0 IP in eight starts, two complete games, 31 K, 8 BB, .171 OBA

Game 2- Jack Wagoner (Sacred Heart)
Playoffs: 0-0, 1.29 ERA, 7 IP, 1 R, 2 K, 1 BB, .250 OBA
Regular season: 6-0, 3.66 ERA in eight starts, nine total appearances, 46.2 IP, 40 K, 15 BB, .198 OBA

Game 3- Scott Denault (San Diego)
Playoffs: 0-0, 4.50 ERA, 6 IP, 3 R, 3 K, 2 BB, .320 OBA
Regular season: 5-1, 2.89 ERA in nine starts, ten total appearances, 62.1 IP, 52 K, 24 BB, .220 OBA


Projected lineup and playoff statistics

Brockport:
3B Billy Herman (Slippery Rock) .231, 3 2B, 4 RBI, 7 BB, .500 OBP
RF Ryan Nokelby (Texas Lutheran) .176, 3 RBI, .222 OBP
SS Jesse Bosnik (St. Bonaventure) .333, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 4 BB, .474 OBP, 2 SB
DH Corey Taylor (Binghamton) .176, 1 HR, 4 RBI, .211 OBP
LF Jared Hood (Texas-Tyler) .286, 2 RBI, 4 BB, .444 OBP
C Joe Pavone (Connecticut) .167, 2 BB, .444 OBP
2B Jeff Abrams (Binghamton) .300, 1 2B, 2 RBI, .462 OBP
1B Andrew Dewing (Eastern Conn. St.) .000, 1 RBI, .143 OBP
CF Kyle Harvey (Texas Lutheran) .250, 1 RBI, .333 OBP, 2 SB
P Ryan O'Rourke (Merrimack) 1-0, 1.12 ERA, 8 IP, 1 R, 8 K, 2 BB, .148 OBA

Glens Falls:
RF Chad Stang (Midland) .304, 3 2B, 4 RBI, .360 OBP
CF Luis Feliz (Rutgers) .467, 2 2B, 1 HR, .800 SLG, 5 BB, .600 OBP, 3 SB
2B Scott Lawson (Miami) .478, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 0 K, .520 OBP, 8 SB
1B Jose Valerio (San Diego) .261, 2 2B, 4 RBI, .320 OBP, 1 SB
LF Jonathan White (Vanderbilt) .333, 1 2B, 3 RBI, .440 OBP, 4 SB
DH Todd Brazeal (South Florida) .190, 1 HR, 3 BB, .292 OBP, 2 SB
C Nick McCoy (San Diego) .308, 2 2B, 2 RBI, .375 OBP
3B Jonathan Koscso (South Florida) .154, 1 RBI, .267 OBP
SS Curt Courtwright (Missouri State) .071, 6 BB, .350 OBP
P Shane Davis (Canisius) 1-0, 3.38 ERA, 8 IP, 3 R, 4 K, 0 BB, .250 OBA


Miscellaneous Notes

The Golden Eagles hold a 18-4 advantage in playoff steals, an average of one stolen base per game for Brockport and over three per game for Glens Falls...Brockport has held opponents to a league-leading .171 batting average in the postseason...Glens Falls is hitting at a league-leading .301 clip in the postseason...The game is being held at the College of Brockport's baseball field (at 3 PM because there are no lights), home to the Golden Eagles (who are also green and gold)...The Golden Eagles are 0-2 all-time in NYCBL Finals play...Glens Falls is 3-3 all-time on the road in the postseason and 2-4 all-time in series-opening games