Sherrill scores early and often in win over the Red Wings

By Kathryne Davis

SHERRILL, N.Y. — Nick Duarte (Siena College) drove in three runs, as the Sherrill Silversmiths beat the Geneva Red Wings 7-1 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Noyes Park on Sunday evening.

Sherrill got the scoring started in the second inning and never looked back. Duarte plated Mitch Cavanagh (St. Johns U) and Justin Dattilo (Maryland Eastern Shore) with a double.

In the next inning, the Red Wings got one back scoring their only run of the game off the bat of Matt Kozemchak (Lehigh U). John Cruz (Dowling Col) came home on Kozemchak infield single.

Bryan Baquer (Washington Col) ended the Red Wings threat when he climbed the wall in center and robbed Cameron Coons (Alvernia) of a a sure hit.

For the Silversmiths in the third, Ellington Hopkins (Monroe CC) scored on a Reid Neal (Florida Atlantic U) single to the outfield.
Baquer  scored the lone run of the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth, Duarte made it to first on a drop-third strike. This kept the inning alive, which allowed Sherrill to tack on another run. Alex Saville (Monroe CC) singled and scored Austin Bouse (LeMoyne College).

Geneva made some noise in the eighth inning against new pitcher Nate Westfahl (Ft. Scott CC). He only faced two batters, with both of them reaching base, before Cory Poplawski (Salve Regina U) came in to finish the eighth.

Duarte drove in another runner in the bottom of the inning, when the Silversmiths added two more runs to take the pressure off the pitchers. Duarte hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield, allowing Bouse to score once again. The defensive hero of the third inning, Baquer, doubled home Saville for the final run of the game.

Silversmiths starting pitcher Cody Tolbert (Ft. Scott CC) pitched an impressive game, going seven innings and allowing only one run. He said that he felt he pitched well. In regards to the defense behind him, Tolbert said, “I trusted my teammates would help me out.” Tolbert got the win for the game.

The team has been working steadily on defense. Coach Greg Dombrowski said that 25 minutes before the game was spent on infield defense. He felt that the previous games would have been closer if the defense had been a little tighter. The win helps Sherrill snap a three-game losing streak.

Tyler Fletcher (College of Charleston) took the loss for Geneva, going six innings and allowing four earned runs.

Red Wings coach George Schaefer said his team has “a lot to work on” after the loss, including defense, which was one of the reasons why the game slipped away from Geneva at times.

“We had a heck of a start from Tyler Fletcher,” Schaefer said.

The Silversmiths (3-4) take on the Syracuse Salt Cats (4-4) at home tomorrow, starting at 5 p.m. The Red Wings (3-3) have off. Geneva’s next game is on Tuesday at home in a rematch with Sherrill at 7 p.m.