GENEVA, N.Y. — Matt Jimenez (Mercyhurst) tossed six complete (of a scheduled seven-inning game) as the Geneva Twins breathed life into their playoff existence while ending the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s longest winning streak. Geneva’s offense took advantage of some early charity to win the opener, 4-2 before falling in the night cap 4-1 at McDonough Park, Sunday.
Jimenez struck out five, walked two, allowed five hits and two runs (one earned) for his first win in his third tour of the NYCBL. Jimenez finished 3-0 with an ERA of 3.19 for Dave Brust’s 2011 Western Division champ, Webster Yankees.
“When Matt is on, his breaking stuff moves like a ping pong ball,” Brust said of Jimenez last year.
Jimenez pitched with Webster during the 2009 season. In between he had reconstructive surgery on his elbow.
Geneva scored three runs in the first on three hits, two walks and a hit batter.
Luke Stewart (Broward) led with a walk, and Brandon Martinez (Kutztown) reached after being hit by a pitch. Nick Kranick (Flagler) moved the runners with a sacrifice before Stephen Joe (Copiah-Lincoln CC) and Chris Casto (Northwest Miss. CC) hit back-to-back RBI singles to kick start the Twin offense. Taylor Nichols (South Alabama) made it 3-1 plating Joe with another RBI base hit.
Stewart added insurance in the third singling home Isaac Behme (Webster)
Joe came on for double-duty and hurled a scoreless seventh for his fourth save of the season.
Niagara never trailed in the night cap. The Power pushed across a run in the second when Tyler Schweigert (Eastern Illinois) came home on a Seth Eller (Mt. Vernon Nazarene) sacrifice fly.
Malachi Melton (Ozarks) made it 2-0 with a solo shot in the fourth.
After Geneva scored in the fifth, Nicholas Linne (Northwestern) gave the Power insurance with a two-run triple in the top of the seventh.
Jonathan Knapp (Olivet Nazarene) was the winning pitcher in game two. He allowed one run for his fifth win of the season. David Kaplan (Southern Nazarene) hurled two shutout stanzas for the save.
Niagara came into the double-header riding a nine-game win streak. Ironically, Jimenez, the winner pitcher in game one, was part of a Webster team that won an NYCBL-record 14 straight games a year ago.
Jimenez started the summer with the Florence Red Wolves of the Coastal Plains League.
Niagara (23-16) has two days before finishing their season Wednesday at Olean (21-16) in what could be a battle for second place in the West.
Geneva (18-21) plays at Hornell (24-12) Tuesday in what could be a preview of first round play in the playoffs. The Twins can not improve their position, and the Dodgers would need to take a page from the Adam Scott notebook to finish in second (Yes, I know – a low blow. I wanted to see how many read this far).
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