By Kevin Smith
WEBSTER, NY – The Smitties continue to roll with their current win streak.
Sherill pitcher Josh Griffith (Fort Scott CC) pitched six solid innings as the Silversmiths shut out the Rochester Ridgemen, 8-0 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Monday night at Basket Road Field.
The Silversmiths, after starting 0-4 on the season, have completely turned their season around with now a five-game win streak intact.
“It’s a tribute for these players to be part of this streak,” Coach Dennis Duffy said. “There’s a lot of guys on this team and juggling it around makes it interesting to watch considering all the talent that they can bring and turn things with this streak.”
Griffith’s performance on the mound stifled the Ridgemen offense. The tall right hander struck out five and allowed just one hit while pitching six scoreless innings.
“I’m feeling great and doing great every time I go out to the mound,” Griffith said. “I got ahead of batters and stayed ahead.”
The Silversmiths’ bullpen closed out Griffith’s performance in remote fashion by pitching three scoreless innings and striking out two between three pitchers.
“He (Griffith) has capitalized tonight on talking about what we have all year with him, getting ahead and finishing,” Coach Duffy added. “Josh did a great improving on his top of outing.”
Sherrill’s pitching has been hitting on all cylinders during their current streak. Opposing offenses have managed to score just 10 earned runs (11 total) and allowing just 14 hits and 15 walks during the streak.
The Silversmiths’ offense certainly contributed to Griffith’s outing. The offense has managed to plate 30 runs during the streak and doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
“Our offense is settling down and getting to know each other to build chemistry,” Coach Duffy added.
The Silversmiths tallied their first run in the second inning on an error by Ridgemen shortstop K.C. Simons (Covenant). After an off balance throw to try and get Smitties DH Nathan Eastman (Finger Lakes CC), Matt Ederle (Rhode Island) rounded third and took advantage of the opportunity to score.
Sherrill started to pull away in the top of the third inning. The big hit came from first baseman Zackary Kessinger (Washington) as he delivered a two-run triple to knock in shortstop Skyler Gessinger (SIU-Edwardsville), and CF Ka’ai Tom (Fort Scott CC) to make it 3-0 Smitties.
Ederle was the bulk of the offense on Monday. To add fuel to the fire, Ederle brought Kessinger home to with an RBI single to make it 4-0 Sherrill.
The Silversmiths tacked on a couple more runs in the seventh inning with the lead now up to 5-0. After Tom stole second to put runners in scoring position, Ederle cracked a two-run single to right to score Tom and Nagelsmith to bump the lead to 7-0 Sherrill.
Ederle finished the game with three hits in five at-bats while bringing in three runs in the process.
Hunter Keatts (Wallace State CC) hurled a scoreless seventh striking out one.
Thomas Moriarty (Hamilton) retired the side in order in the eighth.
Joe Wagner (Hamilton) set down all three batters faced in the ninth.
“Our team tonight definitely strung quality at-bats together,” Coach Duffy added.
While Ridgemen pitcher Clint Brown struggled on the mound a bit, he mustered up and survived six innings pitched.
The Ridgemen’s one hit came in the fourth inning, when C Taylor Empkey (Eastfield) sent a flair into right field.
Griffith improves to 2-1 on the season for Sherrill.
Rochester hosts Hornell on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. start at Basket Road Field.
Sherrill plays a unique doubleheader on Tuesday. The Smitties travel to Geneva where they will take on the Geneva Red Wings in the afternoon and the Geneva Twins in the evening.
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