Twins leave no doubt in sweep of Olean

By Paul Gotham

GENEVA, NY – Just when the New York Collegiate Baseball League playoff picture started to take shape, the Geneva Twins took a sledge hammer to the proceedings.

Geneva pounded out 24 hits and swept the Olean Oilers (10-4/12-3) out of first place in NYCBL action at McDonough Park, Sunday.

With the losses, Olean tumbles from the league’s top spot for the first time since June 21^st.

Tommy Haas (Arkansas Pine Bluff) connected with one of his four hits on the afternoon highlighting a five-run fourth in the opener as the Twins sent nine to the plate and did not trail for the remainder of the day.  Haas brought home Travis Rosenwinkel (Niagara U) with a double off the fence in left center tying the score at four.

“He was huge for us,” said Geneva head coach Nick Callahan. “He has struggled in the past making solid contact. Today was great for him. We told him before the first game he was going to be in the DH spot. That game him some confidence.”

One out later, Tommy Mazurkiewicz (Wagner) plated Haas and Dave Saluga (Youngstown St.) with a double of his own into left center for a 6-4 Twins advantage.

“The guys have stayed focused on what we’ve been working on all year,” Callahan said of Geneva’s success at the plate on Sunday. “We had an off day. We’re ready to get back at it now.”

Rosenwinkel drilled a two-run home run off the light post in left center to give Geneva an 8-4 lead in the fifth. Daniel Iturrey (Emory) walked to start the inning and moved to second on a ground out by Josh Cassidy (Arkansas Pine Bluff) before Rosenwinkel connected for his first round-tripper of the season.

One out later, Haas followed with a double to straight away center. When a Joey Gamache (Tacoma CC) pitch got away from Kody Johnston (Brewton Parker), Haas took off from second and never hesitated as he rounded the bag at third and scampered down the line.

Rosenwinkel and Haas combined as the Twins got an insurance run in the seventh. Rosenwinkel singled up the middle and advanced on a passed ball. John Linn (Wagner) moved the runner with a sacrifice bunt, and Haas delivered with a hit through the left side of the infield.

After starting the season with just six hits in his first 22 at bats, the Clarksville, Arkansas native has hits in each of his last four games.

“Earlier in the season I had a closed stance, and I don’t think I was seeing the inside pitch,” Haas explained. “I opened it up a little bit, and I can see the whole thing.”

Alex Leighton (Flagler) got the win. The right-hander is 3-2 on the season. He gave up four runs (one earned) on eight hits and a walk while fanning three.

Jonah van Bemmelen (Arcadia) worked one shutout inning.

Gamache took the loss.

Max Beermann (Villanova) connected on a three-run home run in the first staking Olean to a 4-0 lead. The home run was Beermann’s fourth of the campaign.

Geneva picked right up where it left off in the first inning of the night cap.

The Twins sent 11 to the dish. Haas doubled home Walt Roman (R.I.T.) and Trey West (LeMoyne), and the Twins took away all hope for the Oilers with a 7-0 lead.

“He went 2-2 and threw a fastball on the outside part of the plate,” Haas recalled. “The next pitch he put a fastball down the middle, and I sent it into the gap.”

Andrew Goldstick (Washington U) started the game with a single and stolen base. He moved 90 feet on a passed ball. After a pair of walks to Michael Roman (St. John Fisher) and Mazurkiewicz, West connected on an RBI single. Walt Roman forced home a run with a walk, and Kirby Campbell (Arkansas Pine Bluff) singled home a run.

Iturrey eventually brought home Campbell with a sacrifice fly, and Goldstick doubled home Haas for the 7-0 lead.

Zak Fowler (Jacksonville St.) earned his first win of the season. The right-hander labored through much of the five innings he pitched.

“He battled up there,” Callahan said of his starter. “He just couldn’t locate anything. He was in and out. It’s where he’s been in some of his starts.”

The Daphne, Alabama native only surrendered but walked eight as he walked the bases loaded in the first and had runners on base every inning.

“It wasn’t pretty, but it did the job,” Fowler stated. “You got to fight through it. With a seven-run lead it was easy for me when I’m struggling because I can work ‘em with fastballs in the zone and letting them get themselves out.”

Geneva’s infield turned a double in the fourth (one of four on the afternoon for the Twins), and Goldstick made a nifty sliding stop with his backhand in the second.

Casey MacClaren (Cazenovia) and Skye Freeman (Long Island U) each worked scoreless innings in relief.

The Twins improved to 17-19 on the season. They trail the Syracuse Salt Cats and Wellsville Nitros by two and a half games with four remaining for the sixth and final spot in the playoffs.

“It’s going to be tight,” Fowler said of Geneva’s chances for post-season play. “We keep playing well; we keep swinging the bats well, and I think we’re going to get in.”

Haas had four RBI and runs scored to go with his four hits.

Campbell and Goldstick each had three hits.

Both games being make-ups from early season rainouts, consisted of seven innings.  Despite playing at McDonough Park, Olean batted as the home team in both games. Geneva held its annual Challenger Games between ends of the twinbill.

The Twins effectively play a triple header on Monday. They will complete Friday’s rain out with city rival, Geneva Red Wings. The two teams play two more games before the end of the night.  A 10 a.m. first pitch is scheduled.

Olean hosts the Rochester Ridgemen on Monday. The first game is also a continuation from a suspended game earlier in the season. First pitch at Olean High School is 2 p.m.