By Alicia Daddario
SYRACUSE, NY — The Syracuse Salt Cats are now 7-5 after losing to the Geneva Red Wings Thursday night at the Rockwell Center. Dan Szathmary (Georgia Coll & St. U) started on the mound for the Cats, but unfortunately it was not his best outing as he gave up 11 hits for seven runs through four innings of work.
The Red Wings did not waste any time getting on the board as Andrew Gronski (Case Western) ripped an RBI double to the outfield, scoring Vernon Trice III (Oglethorpe). Geneva up 1-0.
After the Salt Cats were retired in order in the bottom of the first, Cristian Fiorito (Concordia) led off the second inning with a monster shot. It was his first home run of the season and tied the game at one apiece.
The Red Wings answered back in the top of the third with another run on an error by the Salt Cats. Geneva’s Cameron Stimpson (Monroe CC) reached first on an infield single. Salt Cat catcher Kyle Feazell (Louisiana Coll), who had just thrown out Zak Worsley (North Park U) two plays before, tried to catch Stimpson stealing. However, the throw went over the second baseman, trickled into the outfield, and slithered past the center fielder. By the time the ball was thrown in, Stimpson had crossed the plate for the third Red Wing run.
The Salt Cats would go scoreless in three straight innings while the Red Wings knocked in three runs in both the fourth an fifth inning and two more reached home plate in the sixth.
One run at a time, the Salt Cats slowly made their comeback. In the bottom of the sixth, Carlos Guzman (Molloy) singled to lead off. Third baseman Mike DeCarr (SUNY Cortland), who is tied with Fiorito for the most RBI’s on the team, added to his total with a single to left field, scoring Guzman for Syracuse’s second run. In the bottom of the seventh inning, right fielder Mike Mascari (Oswego St.) earned a two-out walk to extend the inning. Next batter, Feazell who has been struggling with the bat as of late, clears one over the left field fence, making it a 10-4 ball game.
The Salt Cats had an opportunity to continue on the comeback trail as Fiorito led off the bottom of the eighth with a double to center field. Ben Sawyer (Alvernia) singled to first, advancing Fiorito to third. He would score the final run for the Cats. The bases loaded for Feazell, he grounded to the third baseman who stepped on the bag for the force out and the possible Salt Cats rally came to a screeching halt.
The Salt Cats will pick up the ball on Sunday evening at Falcon Park for a double header against the Oneonta Outlaws. Games are scheduled for 4:30 and 6:30.
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