By Gina Papineau
WEBSTER, NY — The Rochester Ridgemen scored a whopping 17 runs against the Geneva Red Wings Saturday night in New York Collegiate Baseball action at Basket Road Field.
The Ridgemen flew out of the gates at full speed in the first inning. Taylor Empkey (Eastfield) was walked by Red Wings pitcher Kevin Lee (Ramapo) and later advanced to second on a Ryan Logan (Christian Brothers) single. Nick Oddo (Cal St. San Bernardino) got the Ridgemen on board with a huge double, plating both Empkey and Logan.
Rochester gained 2 more runs in the second inning after Ben Circeo (Bluefield) and Matt Simmons (Hendrix) both stole home. The Ridgemen were leading the Red Wings 4-0.
The Red Wings fought back in the third inning when Aaron Tovsky (Davidson) earned one run off of a sacrifice bunt by Scott Shields (Cuesta). They continued to retaliate against the Ridgemen in the fourth inning as Andrew Gronski (Case Western Reserve) got the Red Wings off to a good start with a double to left center field. The next two batters walked and Tovsky hit a single, sending Gronski and Brian Weightman (St. Bonaventure) home. Brandon Costa (Concord) followed with another single, plating Brett Viola (Stevens Institute of Tech)
When the Ridgemen came back up to bat in the fifth inning, their bats were on fire. Ryan Logan was walked to start, and then scored on a single by Nick Oddo, bringing the Ridgemen ahead of the Red Wings 5-4. Nick Wolyniec (Siena), Matt Simmons and Ben Circeo loaded the bases with a single, a walk and another single, respectively. Josh Turner (Patrick Henry) plated Wolyniec and Simmons on a single. Taylor Empkey sent another single to right field, allowing Circeo and K.C Simons (Covenant) to score. Josh Davis (Whitworth) was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded yet again.
The Ridgemen had gone through their line up having scored 5 runs on 5 hits while only earning one out. There was no looking back.
The fifth inning continued when Ryan Logan was walked with the bases loaded. Nick Oddo then sent another long ball out to center field, earning the Ridgemen another run. Seven runs were scored in the fifth inning, launching the Ridgemen past the Red Wings 11-4.
The Red Wings had the opportunity to score in the sixth when the bases were loaded, but were having trouble against Ridgemen pitcher Clint Brown (Mary Hardin-Baylor). Richard Moses (Neumann) and Brandon Costa both earned singles.
Ben Circeo started off the sixth for the Ridgemen with a huge triple to left center field and later scored on a K.C. Simons single. Josh Davis earned a single on an error while also allowing another Ridgemen to score. The final run of the sixth was scored on a bases loaded hit by pitch situation.
Circeo scored another run in the seventh, again off of another K.C. Simons single. Circeo then had another triple in the eighth while also plating pinch hitter Patrick Kinney (Lindenwood). Josh Turner then batted in Circeo with a single. Ridgemen catcher Ryan Logan was injured in the top of the eighth after taking a foul tick to the throat; he toughed it out and stayed in the game.
Going into the bottom of the ninth, the Red Wings were trailing the Ridgemen 17-4. Pinch hitter Dustin Stuck (Alvernia) started off with a single, followed by a Lee Miller (Davidson) double. Stuck then stole home, and was followed by Miller who scored off of a Brian Weightman hit.
The Red Wings struggled to find a pitcher to battle the Ridgemen’s offense and went through five different pitchers. On the other side, the Ridgemen had 17 earned runs.
After 3 hours and 39 minutes, the Ridgemen defeated the Red Wings 17-6.
The two teams will meet again at McDonough Park in Geneva Sunday night at 5pm.
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