By Paul Gotham
WEBSTER, N.Y. — Momentum. That abstract force which analysts and pundits like to discuss. How do teams build momentum? How do they keep it? And, better yet, how does one stop a force in motion?
Geneva’s Twins built momentum Tuesday night. In the flip of a switch, it shifted. But in something of a trend here in the early part of the New York Collegiate Baseball League season, the Twins’ bullpen proved the stronger force.
For five innings Cory Teachout (Ashland) kept the Rochester Ridgemen off balance. The right-hander allowed only one runner to reach second and retired nine straight from the third to the fifth frame. Meanwhile Jason Ibrahim (Arkansas-Pine Bluff) doubled home a run in the second. Zach Goldstein (Southern New Hampshire) tripled and scored in the third. Geneva led 3-0.
Teachout got the first batter in the sixth to ground out. Five batters and two triples later, Rochester brought the leading run to the plate.
David Anderson (Muhlenberg) came on in relief, and Rochester’s momentum ceased soon after.
“The biggest thing I wanted to do was pound the zone and get ahead,” Anderson said. “I was mixing in the slider and keeping it low.”
Anderson tossed 2.1 shutout innings to earn the win.
“It’s been great having Dave out of the bullpen,” Twins head coach Nick Callahan commented. “He knows how to compete on high level with the game on the line.”
Kevin Berge (St. John Fisher) tossed a scoreless ninth for his second save of the season. The right-hander is 2-0 in six appearances with an ERA of 0.00 in 8.2 innings of work. Berge danced in and out trouble allowing a one-out single and a walk before getting a ground out and strike out to end the game.
“Kevin’s been fantastic,” Callahan noted. “Nothing short of good. Tonight was the most anyone has touched him up, and he still didn’t give up a run.”
Calvin Woolhiser (St. John Fisher) drove in a run and later scored in the seventh as Geneva defeated Rochester, 5-3
The Twins (4-5) have won four of five, and the common thread is the bullpen. Twins relievers have hurled 16.2 innings without an earned run during the four victories. Anderson has thrown 5.2 stanzas in three appearances over that stretch.
The Baldwinsville, New York native started seven games a year ago. This past spring he fanned 28 and walked seven in 63 innings of work atop the Mules’ rotation. This summer he is getting a change of perspective.
“It’s a learning process,” Anderson said of his change in roles from starter to reliever. “One of the toughest things is learning how to warm-up. You’re up. You’re down. You’re sitting there. You try to not wear out the arm. I’m definitely not used to throwing as much back to back. I’m getting used to it.”
Things only get better for the Twins bullpen. Former Geneva Red Wing and 2014 MLB Draft pick Rob Winemiller (Case Reserve) opted to return to school. He also chose to spend another summer playing for the denizens of McDonough Park.
Winemiller dazzled scouts at last year’s league all-star game striking out the side in order. He went from being an unknown catcher to reliever with mid-90s stuff. The Toronto Blue Jays selected Winemiller in the 25th round (744 overall pick) of the most recent draft.
He is making the move to the Twins to work with Callahan his former pitching coach at Case. Callahan has since taken a job at Coker College. NYCBL and NACSB rules prohibit head and assistant coaches from working directly with players from their school during the summer season.
“We’re very excited about Rob,” Callahan stated. “We weren’t sure what was going to happen. I talked to him yesterday and got everything set up. He’s going to be here Saturday. It’s always good when you add a 25th round pick to the bullpen.”
“It’ll be nice to have 94-95 coming out of the bullpen,” Anderson said with a chuckle. “It’s an eight-inning game.”
Geneva heads out to Wellsville (3-4) for their next three games.
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