Geneva Red Wings News & Notes

The Geneva Red Wings followed up a 12-5 manhandling of last place Niagara with a huge 7-3 win over the Brockport Riverbats yesterday evening at Ed Nietopski Field.

The win snapped the Wings five game road losing streak and tied them for fifth place in the West Division at 17-18, only one game behind the Webster Yankees for the fourth and final playoff spot.

Brockport took a 3-0 lead in the second inning, but the Wings made a comeback and surged ahead late. Ryan Anderson (St. Petersburg College) got the start and the win for the Wings, pitching five innings and getting four strikeouts.

In the second, Brockport led off with back-to-back singles and then a walk to load the bases with no outs. Two batters later, second baseman Andrew Femath hit an RBI single, and designated hitter Richie Tri followed with a two RBI single to give the Riverbats the 3-0 advantage. The Wings wasted no time answering back, though.

Geneva tied the game in the next half inning. Centerfielder Mike Blanchard (Austin-Peay University) and shortstop Jon Clinard (Austin-Peay University) hit consecutive singles and advanced into scoring position on second baseman Gordy LaHann’s (UT-Permian Basin) sacrifice bunt down the first base line.

With two outs, catcher Ryan Waldhart (Oakland University) hit a two RBI double to dead centerfield. He came around to score on third baseman Will Harford’s (University of Notre Dame) RBI single.

Tied at three going into the fifth, the Wings took a lead they never relinquished.

Waldhart and Harford hit consecutive doubles, giving Harford his second RBI of the day. Then designated hitter Jack Wortley hit an RBI single into left field. Unfortunately for the Wings, Wortley was thrown out trying for a double, but they did have a 5-3 lead.

Reliever Lucas Anderson (Austin-Peay University) pitched scoreless sixth, seventh and eighth innings. He struck out two Riverbats and the Wings infield turned a spectacular 5-4-3 double play to end the sixth.

The Wings scored again in the eighth when LaHann reached first on a fielder’s choice, scoring first baseman Dan Pembroke (Dowling College). Pembroke led off the inning with a base hit.

In the ninth, Waldhart got his third hit and went on to score on a base hit by designated hitter Phil Rosenblum (Wesleyan University) to put the Wings up 7-3. Rosenblum replaced Wortley, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI.

Waldhart finished the game at 3-for-5 with two RBI’s and three runs scored. Closer Ryan Kassab (Long Island University) pitched a 1-2-3 ninth.

This afternoon the Wings play a doubleheader against the Niagara Falls Power at McDonough Park. The first game is at 5 p.m.