By Paul Casey Gotham
BATAVIA, NY — A resilient Tribune nine used extra innings to finish off a pair of road victories.
Grant Nadeau (Cicero, NY/Cicero-North Syracuse) hurled seven shutout innings in the opener, and A.J. Kehlenbeck (Oakfield, NY/Oakfield-Alabama) did a job behind and at the plate as the Tribs tripped Genesee Community College 3-0 and 3-2.
Kehlenbeck’s opposite field single got under the glove of the GCC right fielder plating Wes Hoppner (Ottawa, ONT/Holy Trinity) as the Tribunes grabbed a 2-1 in the top of the ninth. The error allowed Kehlenbeck to move to third base where second-game starter, Ben Gielow (Webster, NY/Webster-Schroeder), delivered with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Hoppner’s one-out double in the left-center field alley started the extra-inning rally.
Kehlenbeck played a key defensive role in the sixth inning as the Tribunes averted possible defeat. The backstop registered the first out of the frame when he gunned down a would-be base stealer at second. One out later, Kehlenbeck was at the receiving end when Adam Urschel delivered a strike to the plate from left center field ending the GCC threat.
Gielow turned in a workmanlike performance on the hill. The sophomore allowed one earned over five and two-third innings. Gielow steadied the MCC ship when it needed it most. Three defensive miscues loaded the bases without any outs in the fourth. The left-hander responded inducing an infield pop up, fanning a batter and getting a comebacker to stem the rally.
“That second game was not how we like to play,” head coach Mike Kelly commented. “But our pitching kept us in there.”
Monroe grabbed a 1-0 lead in the first inning. Kevin Johnson (Webster, NY/ Webster-Thomas) lashed a one-out single to right field. After Johnson swiped second, Luis Diaz (Geneva, NY/ Geneva) earned a base on balls. With the hit-and-run on, Urschel’s ground ball forced a rushed throw to load the bases. Steve Renaud (Ottawa, NY/St. Joseph’s) got the RBI with the bases-loaded walk.
Genesee tied the score in the sixth.
Johnson earned his first win in relief tossing three and a third striking out four, walking one while surrendering two hits and one earned run.
Nadeau fanned two and walked one in the opened for his third win of the season.
“Grant established the strike zone early,” Kelly added. “They are a good hitting team. He kept them off-balance.”
After allowing runners on second and third with two outs in the first, Nadeau retired the next eight hitters he faced. GCC loaded the bases in the third before the sophomore got a ground ball to end the threat.
Nadeau set down the last nine batters he faced.
The Tribs manufactured a run in the first stanza.
Bobby Frantz (Webster, NY/Webster-Thomas) led with a walk. Johnson moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt, and Frantz stole third. Urschel got the RBI with a sacrifice fly to center.
Monroe added insurance in the fourth.
Renaud banged a one-out single and stole second. Kehlenbeck walked. Gielow slapped a hit-and-run single to right center bringing home Renaud. Mike Ruffin (Rochester, NY/St. Thomas Aquinas) dropped a bunt down the first base line, and Kehlenbeck scampered home for the 3-0 lead.
Kehlenbeck had two hits, a walk and two runs scored for the afternoon.
Johnson went 3-7 with a double, run scored, stolen base and a sacrifice.
Diaz had a pair of walks.
Monroe improves to 20-7 with the wins.
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