Golden Eagles season ends in NCAA Regional
- Victor Menendez
- May 17
- 3 min read
By: Victor Menendez
ASHLAND, V.A. -- The Brockport Golden Eagles season came to an end on Saturday. With a 9-4 loss to the Randolph-Macon Yellow Jackets, Brockport's historic season concluded.
"I said to these guys, 'thanks for the ride'," Golden Eagles head coach Justin Beach said, teary-eyed. "I didn't have to do a lot of coaching this year. I got to let these guys perform, just hang out, and got to win a lot of games."
Beach ends his career as the head coach of the Golden Eagles with 416 wins, the most of any Brockport baseball head coach. Having been in the role since 2007, Beach is now transitioning into the role of Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance, overseeing the NCAA and Empire 8 conference regulations for the Brockport athletics department.
"[Having a season like this] makes it hard to walk away," Beach said. "But I think it's the right time. I'm just super grateful."
Right-hander Eric Servellon, who usually pitches out of the bullpen, got the ball for the Golden Eagles in just his third start of the season. The sophomore recorded just six outs, allowing six earned runs on five hits and two walks.
"[Servellon] was just kind of our hot hand," Beach said. "He pitched really well against Ithaca. We thought it was going to be a really good matchup for us. He was, and then a couple things didn't go his way."
Zach Eldred, who had a 1.89 ERA and an 8-0 record in 12 starts, was available, but didn't pitch at all in the tournament.
"He was cramping a little bit after the first game yesterday," Beach said. "It's tough to do the two-way thing, and he certainly would've been on the bump if we needed him in the next game, if we got there."
Brockport jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first inning thanks to an RBI single from Eldred and a bases loaded walk from Nick Mahar. However, the Golden Eagles left the inning with the bases loaded, a trend that would continue throughout the game.
The Golden Eagles left multiple runners on base in the third, fourth, seventh and ninth innings. Their 15 runners left on base was a season-high for the green and gold.
"It was kind of our story all weekend," Beach said. "We got some guys on base, we just couldn't cash them in. It's playoff baseball, that's what happens. A few times today they got the timely hit and put some numbers up. It just didn't drop for us with guys on base."
After falling behind 8-2, fifth-year outfielder Jason Story gave Brockport some life with a solo homer to bring the Golden Eagles within five runs. Story went 4-for-4 on the day, falling a triple short of the cycle. The Empire 8 first-team outfielder, who transferred from Utica prior to the season, ended his year hitting .315 with 11 home runs, 54 RBI and a 1.094 OPS.
"He gave us a lot of good offense," Beach said. "His infectious smile that he brings, and his energy — he just brings a positive vibe to everybody. He's just a great kid to be around. He's an energy giver, that's what we call him."
With Beach, Eldred, Story and many other key players and contributors to this Golden Eagles team, that set the all-time program record for wins, with 36, graduating or moving on to different roles, the future for Brockport baseball is up in the air.
"I think, in terms of the youth and the future of the program, I feel very strongly that there's a good youngness coming back," Beach said. "The names are going to change, but there's a lot of guys that didn't get a ton of opportunities this year, especially in the bullpen, that are going to be really good players. I really feel like the future is good. We're not stopping, I don't see Brockport going anywhere."
The Golden Eagles finish the year at 36-5-2. Even though they didn't win a national championship, they'll forever be able to call themselves 2025 Empire 8 champions.
Comentários