By Kathryne Davis
SHERRILL, N.Y. — The Sherrill Silversmiths continued their success as the team hit five home runs in their most recent win to bring their winning streak to seven games.
“Pitching and playing good defense is key,” said Silversmiths Head Coach Greg Dombrowski. “The defense has been improving.” Sherrill did not commit an error in its most recent game. Combined with solid hitting makes the team tough to beat.
Kellen Brown (Florida Atlantic U) went 2-5 with a pair of two-run home runs as the Silversmiths beat the Wellsville Nitros 11-1 on Sunday evening in New York State Collegiate Baseball League action at Noyes Park.
Also joining in on the home run action was Kevin Brice (Pomona-Pitzer Col) with two solo shots, and Reid Neal (Florida Atlantic U) with a two-run bomb. The Florida Atlantic University teammates combined for six of the eleven Sherrill runs.
The first inning started off with a bang for the Silversmiths. Ellington Hopkins (Monroe CC) singled to lead off the inning. Two batters later, Neal brought Hopkins home, along with himself, after a two-run home run. Brice followed Neal with his own home run, putting the home team up three.
Hopkins led the third inning off with another single. Brown came up as the next batter and sent the ball over the outfield fence for his first home run of the game.
Brown knew that with a man on base, he had to find a way to move the runner or bat in the runner.
“I got a pitch that I liked,” he said.
In the sixth, Sherrill added to its lead. Justin Dattilo (Maryland Eastern Shore) doubled home Christian Triplett (North Carolina Central U) to score. Triplett was able to reach first on an error by the third baseman, and Bryan Baquer (Washington College) doubled home Mitch Cavanagh (St. Johns U) and Dattilo.
The Nitros refused to go down without a fight. The team scored their first run of the game off Anthony Rizzo (Haverford College). Rizzo came in to relieve starting pitcher Jack McClure (St. Bonaventure U) with two men out and two men on base. Sean Geisel (SUNY Brockport) scored on a Cameron Balego (Mercyhurst NE) single after leading off the seventh with a walk. The next batter, Benjamin Haefner (University of Buffalo) walked to load the bases. Rizzo got Gerard DeFilippo (Felician College) to pop out to end the inning and the chance of another Wellsville run.
Brice led off the bottom of the seventh and hit his second home run of the night.
Austin Bouse (LeMoyne) pinch hit for Hopkins and started the eighth with a single. Brown was the next batter and hit his second home run of the night. This was also a two-run shot, giving Sherrill their eleven runs for the night.
McClure earned the win, while Avery Ford (Fulton-Montgomery CC) took the loss after giving up five earned runs in four innings. McClure has been one of the many starting pitchers for the Silversmiths whom have been lights-out.
“Starting pitching has been phenomenal,” said Dombrowski.
“The score doesn’t represent the game we played, said Wellsville Head Coach Pat Liepold. “Sherrill is a hot team.” He went on to say that his team played well in the field.
The team is settling into a line-up, which will help the players feel comfortable. “This will transfer into more wins,” said Liepold. “It’ll work out in the end.”
Despite the current winning ways, Dombrowski still has certain parts of the game he has to work on with his team, such as base running.
The Silversmiths (9-4) take on the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs (4-7) at home. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. The Nitros (3-8) will travel to Kerr-Pegula Athletics Complex to play the Genesee Rapids (4-9) at 7 p.m.
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