Geneva Red Wings News & Notes

The Geneva Red Wings crushed the Allegany County Nitros 8-1 on Sunday afternoon, but then left six men on base in a 5-1 loss at Webster yesterday.

Splitting the two games keeps the Wings in seventh place at 14-18. They are 1.5 games out of the playoffs (top four teams in each division qualify).

Against the Nitros, the Wings jumped on their starter Trevor Conner early with four runs in the second. Conner entered the game as the Allegany County’s top pitcher.

Right fielder Jack Wortley (UT-Permian Basin) drew a leadoff walk that inning and then got all the way to third on a hit and run perfectly executed by first baseman Dan Pembroke (Dowling College). With runners at the corners, catcher Eddie Bleiler (College of the Holy Cross) hit an RBI single, scoring Wortley.

Two batters later, designated hitter Phil Rosenblum (Wesleyan University) hit the first pitch he saw for a bases loaded RBI single.

Centerfielder Mike Blanchard (Austin-Peay University) and left fielder Jeff Cola (University of Toledo) followed with an RBI sacrifice fly and RBI ground out, respectively.

Wings starter Kyle Shaw (University of Toledo) did not give up a hit until the top of the fourth to catcher Gary Valedez, but he was thrown out upon trying to turn it into a double. Shaw pitched seven innings, giving up just one run and striking out 10.

In the bottom of the fourth, the Wings knocked Conner out of the game with another four runs. Shortstop Jon Clinard (Austin-Peay University) hit a leadoff single and two batters later Blanchard drew a four pitch walk.

Cola then hit a bases clearing two RBI double, one of three consecutive doubles for the Wings. Second baseman Ryan Waldhart (Oakland University) and third baseman Will Harford (University of Notre Dame) hit the next couple of RBI doubles.

Ahead 8-1, the Wings cruised to victory. Dave Christoffersen (Stetston University) and Pete Brzezicki (University of Charleston) pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings, respectively.

The Wings hoped to keep bats alive for their game at Webster the next day, but that would not be the case. They got their lone run in the top of the third on an RBI ground out by Waldhart that scored second baseman Gordy LaHann who hit a leadoff bloop double into right field.

Tied at one in the third, a sacrifice fly scored left fielder Nate Koontz.

Yankees starter Matt Jiminez gave up back-to-back hits with nobody out in the second and sixth, but held the Wings scoreless both times. In the fourth, Geneva had a runner on third with two outs in left fielder Dan Gliot and could not advance him 90 feet to score.

Jiminez tossed eight innings, striking out five and surrendering one run on six hits. His counterpart, Jared Fisher (Quincy University) had a solid outing (six innings pitched, two runs allowed and two strikeouts), but critical infield errors in the second and third extended each inning.

In all, the Wings made three errors. The Yankees scored in all three of those innings.

Lucas Anderson (Austin-Peay University) pitched the seventh and eighth for the Wings, giving up three runs.

The Wings will try to get back to winning against last place Niagara tonight.