By Paul Gotham
GENEVA, NY – Saddled with a three-game losing streak, Geneva’s Twins found an elixir in the Rochester Ridgemen.
Andrew Goldstick (Washington U) paced the offense as the Twins held off the Ridgemen, 8-7 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at McDonough Park.
Goldstick took the first pitch offering from Patrick Kinney (Lindenwood) and doubled to right center sparking a two-run sixth as the Twins got their margin of victory.
“Lately, I’ve just been trying to see a lot of pitches and work deep into counts,” Goldstick said. “I felt like I did that early on. I thought I was going to get a pitch early to hit. I saw the first pitch, and it was pretty much right down the middle, and I put a good swing on it.”
With Tommy Haas (Arkansas Pine Bluff) aboard via a lead off hit by pitch, Goldstick’s drive set up the Geneva offense with runners on second and third and no outs.
“I haven’t been swinging the bat that well lately,” Goldstick added. “It felt good to put a drive into one and find a gap.”
Goldstick chased Kinney, and Trey West (Le Moyne) greeted Clinton King (Miss. Valley St.) with a sacrifice to left scoring Haas.
“It was a good day for him,” Geneva head coach Nick Callahan said of Goldstick’s effort. “He’s been working on swing religiously. He’s coming in and doing the right thing getting better. Beginning of the year he was struggling with the velocity. He couldn’t hit it. He’s had to work hard to get where he is.”
After Goldstick was thrown out attempting to steal third, Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Wagner) reached on a hit by pitch, stole second and came home when Zac Fowler (Alabama Southern CC) reached on an error.
The Twins led 8-6.
Rochester cut the lead in half before Zach Verner (John Carroll) came on and shut the door in the ninth.
“I felt good today,” Verner commented. “Got a little sweat going and started zooming.”
The 6-0 right-hander retired all three batters he faced for his second of the season.
“I closed all through high school,” Verner added. “I really like the closer role. I like the pressure.”
Rochester put a run on the board in the first against Geneva starter, Nick Hedge (Penn State).
K.C. Simons (Covenant) reached on a one-out single and eventually scored on a bases loaded walk issued to Matt Simmons (Hendrix).
Geneva took advantage of Rochester’s generosity and answered with four in the second.
Walt Roman (R.I.T.) reached on an error. Travis Rosenwinkel (Niagara) and Josh Cassidy (Arkansas Pine Bluff) loaded the bases on back-to-back walks. Haas brought home two with a hit. Goldstick moved Haas with a single, and West plated two more with a single.
Geneva dropped their three most recent games to second-place Oneonta. The Twins improve to 9-12 with the win.
“It gives us a little confidence booster,” Verner said of the win. “We have a doubleheader coming up. It would be nice to get a winning streak going into the all-star break.”
“Oneonta’s got a good team,” Callahan stated. “We saw their three best guys (pitchers). It’s good to get back on the winning side. We played a complete game today.”
Jonah van Bemmelen (Arcadia U) allowed one run over three innings for his second win of the season.
Kinney took the loss. He has one win and three losses.
The Twins will host a double-header with the Wellsville Nitros on Saturday. First pitch at McDonough Park is scheduled for noon.
The Ridgemen return home for a tilt with the Geneva Red Wings. A 1 p.m. first pitch is slated at Basket Road Field.
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