By Anthony Moscaret, Director of Baseball Operations & Public Relations/Geneva
GENEVA, N.Y. – A five-run eighth-inning and costly errors allowed the Syracuse Salt Cats (18-15) to walk out of McDonough Park Wednesday with a 9-6 win over the Geneva Twins (15-18) in New York Collegiate Baseball League action.
The Salt Cats scored five runs on two hits, a balk, a hit by pitch and four walks to break the game open in the eighth inning, which was tied at four. Syracuse was paced by their leadoff hitter and NYCBL batting average leader Carlos Guzman (Molloy) who finished the game going 3-for-6 with two triples and RBI.
The Twins got the scoring started early in the bottom of the second to take a 2-0 lead. Right fielder Travis Rosenwinkel (Niagara) doubled while third baseman Walt Roman (R.I.T.) tripled to drive in the Twins first run of the game with one-out. Center fielder Eric Alcantara (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) singled to drive in W. Roman to make it 2-0. Alcantara was later caught stealing while Ryan Johns (Hanover) singled and Mike Roman (St. John Fisher) popped out to the third to end the inning.
Syracuse would get one of the two runs back in the top of the third on a hit and an error. Zach Carlino (Mount Union) reached on an error. A sacrifice hit by catcher Kyle Feazell (Louisiana College) moved Carlino to second and would later move to third on a ground out to by Tucker Starkey (Ave Maria). Guzman tripled with two-outs to score Carlino and make it a 2-1 game.
In the Twins half of the inning, they would get the run back to make it a two-run lead once again. Trey West (Le Moyne) would single to open the inning while designed hitter Kirby Campbell (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) was hit by the pitch to give the Twins two men on with no outs. Zac Fowler (Alabama CC) reached on a fielder’s choice, which allowed West to score on an error by the second baseman. Campbell was put out on the play 6-4 for the second out. Rosenwinkel would walk and then later be caught stealing to end the inning.
The Salt Cats would tie the game at three in their half of the fourth as they took advantage of two costly errors. Cristian Fiorito (Concordia) walked to lead off the inning and was moved to second on a sac bunt by Colton Montgomery (Georgia College & State). Anthony Massicci (Canisius) reached third and later scored on back-to-back errors, the first coming from the second baseman and the second from the centerfielder. Fiorito would score on the play as well.
Geneva would reclaim the lead in the bottom of the fifth to go up 4-3. Campbell tripled to start the inning and left fielder Dave Saluga (Youngstown St.) walked to give the Twins runners on the corners and no outs. Fowler hit into a 6-3 double play, which allowed Campbell to score and put the Twins back in front. The lead wouldn’t last long as the Salt Cats retied it in the top of the seventh. Bud Morton (Southern) would walk and move to second on a wild pitch and a Montgomery would triple to score Morton and tie the game at four.
In the top of the eighth, Syracuse scored five-runs on two hits, a balk, a hit by pitch and four walks. Carlino walked to start the inning before the Twins went to their bullpen for the second time replacing Jonah van Bemmelen (Arcadia) with Zach Verner (John Carroll). Starkey singled with one-out to drive in Carlino from second who was moved over on a sac bunt by Feazell. Morton walked after Starkey stole second and Guzman flied out to left for the second out. A balk by Verner gave the Salt Cats two runners in scoring position before Fiorito walked to load the bases. Montgomery singled to drive in Morton from third and reload the bases. That would chase van Bemmelen and bring in Casey MacClaren (Cazenovia) to try and get the final out of the inning. Michael DeCarr (Cortland St.) was plunked on the third pitch of the at-bat to force in another run and keep the bases loaded. Massicci singled in a pair of runs to cap off the scoring and put the Salt Cats up 9-4.
In the Twins half of the inning, W. Roman was drilled on the fifth pitch of his at-bat to get things started and give Geneva a man on first. W. Roman finished the day a perfect 4-for-4 with two runs scored, a triple, a double, an RBI and hit by pitch. With one-out in the inning Johns parked a two-run homer to bring the Twins within three as Syracuse still lead 9-6 at the end of eight. That was Johns’ second home run of the season.
Kyle Cushman (Onondaga CC) picked up the win as finished the day going 1.1 innings allowing two runs (both earned), striking out one and scattering one hit. Teammate Raymond Messner (Ave Maria) earned the save while striking out two and allowing three hits in 1.1 innings of work.
Starter Karney Boff (UMass-Dartmouth) earned the no-decision for the Twins. Boff pitched six innings allowing three runs (none earned), striking out three, walking two and giving up five hits.
The Twins are back in action tomorrow as they take on the Junior Chiefs at 3 p.m. The game is a makeup from earlier in this season.
Anthony, Andrew Goldstick did not play in the game against the Salt Cats yesterday and your article indicates that he made an error in the top of the 3rd that led to a Salt Cats run.