By Stephen Borgna
CORTLAND, N.Y.—Geneva’s Red Wings pounded 13 hits and defeated the Cortland Crush, 6-4 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Beaudry Park, Friday evening.
Six different Red Wings knocked a pair of hits apiece as the Geneva nine grabbed an early lead and held on late.
Billy Whaley (Norwich University) picked up his second win of the season. The right-hander allowed four runs on seven hits and a walk over six and two-thirds innings. He retired the first six batters faced and did not allow a runner past second until the sixth.
When asked what element of the team’s performance contributed most to their win, Red Wings coach George Schaefer said that Whaley’s pitching was the biggest-factor.
“He threw really well,” Schaefer said. “He competed.”
Whaley struck out six.
Ricky Gorrell (Kutztown) led the game with a single and advanced to second when the ball was mishandled in the outfield. Gorrell moved to third on a Sam Kim (Hawaii Hilo) ground out and scored on a John Cruz (Dowling) ground ball to the right side of the infield.
Geneva tacked on two more runs in the fourth. Andrew Utterback (Alabama A&M) started the frame with his first home run of the season. Utterback finished the game with two hits in five trips to the plate.
One out later, Cameron Coons (Alvernia) connected on one of his two hits for the day and eventually scored on a Mark Huddle (John Carroll) RBI single.
Kim plated a pair in the fifth with a one-out double as the Red Wings pushed their advantage to 5-0.
The Crush seemingly cracked-the-code to Whaley’s pitching in the bottom of the seventh.
Yale Hughes (West Liberty) and Josh Savacool (Ithaca) started the rally with back-to-back base hits. After Hughes was caught stealing, Ben Langey (Gettysburg) reached on a hit by pitch, and Chris Kwitzer (University of Buffalo) singled to load the bases.
Alex Lind (Lake Erie College) reached on an error and two runs scored. Geoffrey Seto (Niagara University) trimmed the deficit to two with an RBI single to center field. Zachary Racusin (Marist) chased Whaley with a single to load the bases.
“We kicked the ball around a little there in the seventh,” Schaefer said. “But our guys are tough, and they’re going to find a way to get it done.”
Dan McBryan (Oglethorpe) forced in a run when he walked the first batter he faced, but the Crush left the bases loaded.
“We got to get the runs across early and keep the pressure up,” Cortland coach Bill McConnell said. “Not waiting until the end and trying to play catch-up.”
Geneva added an insurance run in the eighth.
Travis Kreitz (Kutztown) worked a leadoff walk. Jordan Haas (Arkansas Pine Bluff) came on to pinch run and advanced to second on a wild pitch and third via passed ball. Conner Gunn (Amherst) delivered with an RBI single.
Racusin and Greg Jasek (Clarkson) put together two-out hits in the ninth off Kyle Dyson (Charleston Southern), but the Geneva reliever closed the door for his first save in his first appearance of the summer.
“I’m proud of the guys,” McConnell said. “They battled. Nobody gave up. We put a good string of hits together in the last three innings.”
Ben Ryder (Alabama A&M) hurled a scoreless inning of relief for Geneva. The 6-7 right-hander has not allowed a run in his last three appearances out of the bullpen.
Cruz, Gunn, Huddle and Kim collected two hits apiece.
The Crush (7-12) head to Sherrill Saturday for a doubleheader against the Eastern Division leading Silversmiths (13-9).
The Red Wings (11-9) rest in third in the East and will be going up against the Oneonta Outlaws (10-8).
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