By Paul Gotham
GENEVA, NY – Oneonta’s Outlaws escaped a bases loaded, no out jam in the bottom of the ninth in the first game of a double header and went on to sweep (11-7/9-1) the Geneva Twins in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at McDonough Park, Wednesday night.
After surrendering three runs in the previous inning, Brandon Agar (North Georgia Coll & St. U.) allowed a Ryan Johns (Hanover) lead-off infield single. When Kirby Campbell (Arkansas Pine Bluff) followed with a sacrifice bunt, Agar looked to make the play but slipped and his throw went down the right field, and runners advanced to second and third. Agar then walked Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Wagner) to set up the force.
It wasn’t needed.
“Brandon Agar has been a great pitcher for us all year long,” said Oneonta head coach Joe Hughes. “He got out of that bases loaded jam. He kept us in the ball game.”
Agar induced a weak fly ball to shallow right field, struck out the next batter before getting the third out to end the threat.
“At that point, I was not shaking my catcher off at all,” Agar said when asked about his approach to the situation. “I just trusted my team. They were going to be there for me, and they were.”
In 15-plus innings of work during his previous 10 appearances, Agar walked just two batters, struck out 18 and had allowed just one run. Wednesday, the right-hander issued three bases on balls (including the free pass) and allowed three runs.
“It’s just one of those days,” he added. “Every pitcher has ‘em. You work through them and get better from it. My team picked me up after that inning.”
Tsuyoshi Horibata (Binghamton) tossed a pair of scoreless stanzas before giving way to Zach Moreau (Grambling St.) who picked up the win as he retired all six batters he faced.
Oneonta’s offense struck for four runs off Casey MacClaren (Cazenovia) in the 13th. Ryan Tomita (Grand Canyon U) beat out a bunt to start the stanza. When the throw sailed into foul territory, Tomita advanced to third. Jake Levine (Brown) plated the eventual winning run with a single to center field.
The Outlaws didn’t stop there.
Chris Pindar (SUNY Oneonta) singled through the left side of the infield. Brian Kraft (Grand Canyon U) brought home another run with an opposite field base hit to right field. After Moreau moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice bunt, Josh Treff (Northeastern) delivered with an RBI hit.
The Outlaws took advantage of two Geneva errors t take a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Pindar hit a cue shot in front of the plate. The speedy outfielder forced Twins starter, Karney Boff (Massachusetts-Dartmouth) to rush his throw. Pindar advanced to second on the error. Kraft doubled to right center. Evan Harasta (U of Albany) delivered with a hit-and-run single to score Kraft. Horasta eventually scored when Derek Hirsch (Wofford) reached on an error.
The game swayed back and forth during the sixth and seventh.
Campbell and Mazrkiewicz started the Geneva sixth with back-to-back singles off reliever Heath Holder (U of Georgia). A pair of passed balls brought home two runs, and Josh Cassidy (Arkansas Pine Bluff) tied the score with a sacrifice fly.
Oneonta answered with a three-spot in the eighth. Harasta, Howard Joe (Mercer) and Hirsch all singled to start the inning. An error allowed two to score, and Levine plated Hirsch.
“We were able to get some runs later in the game,” Hughes commented. “If we can get some offensive production and do the little things at the plate, we can be competitive.”
But Geneva came right back.
Campbell blooped a single just inside the right field line. Mazurkiewicz reached on an infield hit. Cassidy doubled home a run, and Mike Roman (St. John Fisher) knotted the score with a two-bagger to right center.
Luke Crumley (University of Georgia) started and went five innings for the Outlaws. The right-hander allowed two runs (one earned) on one hit and three walks while fanning four.
Corey Kafka (Mercer) tossed six shutout innings for the game-two win. Making his first start of the summer, the right-hander struck out five, walked four and allowed three hits.
“My changeup was spot on for the first pitch,” Kafka said. “I followed up with the fastball, and I tried to get them to chasing. Couple of them got my chase pitch. They just got good hits. They’re a good team.”
With Wednesday night’s twinbill the first of three in four days, Hughes needed a spot starter.
“He has pretty good stuff as you saw tonight,” Hughes commented. “He’s a gamer. He has a great fastball and a pretty good slider.”
Kafka has allowed just one unearned run over 15-plus innings in his previous eight appearances out of the bullpen.
The starting role did take some adjustment.
“I haven’t started since high school,” Kafka explained. “It kinda got my mind racing a little bit. I just had to calm myself down. After that I was good to go.”
The Outlaws needed just four hits for the second game win. Working on situational hitting, Oneonta moved runners in five of eight chances for the nine runs.
“We haven’t been hitting the ball extremely this year so far,” Hughes explained. “Part of baseball is moving runners over and getting them in. We’ve really been stressing the last week or so when a guy’s on second and no out to see if we can hit a ground to the right side. The little things will add up to some run production.”
Holder scored four of Oneonta’s nine runs despite getting just one hit.
The Loganville, GA native led the second with a hit by pitch, and Harasta worked a walk from Geneva starter, Zac Fowler (Alabama Southern CC). Treff moved the runners with a sacrifice bunt, and Holder crossed the dish on a wild pitch.
Holder led the fourth with a double, stole second and third. When the throw to third went into left field, the 6-4 Holder scored.
“Heath Holder has a great approach to hitting,” Hughes said. “He reads pitches well and understands situations well. He puts the good part of the bat on the ball. For a big guy, he can run. He can steal some bases. He’s an aggressive baserunner.”
Oneonta put the game out of reach with a five-run seventh.
The Outlaws improve to 11-8 with the sweep and are tied for second with the Wellsville Nitros and Syracuse Jr. Chiefs (12-9).
Geneva falls 8-12.
The same two teams meet Thursday, July Fourth in Oneonta. It’s a 6 p.m. start with Oneonta’s traditional fireworks to follow.
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