By Nate Discavage
ONEONTA, N.Y. — The Oneonta Outlaws used superb plate discipline in a 5-4 win over the Geneva Red Wings in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Damaschke Field, Saturday. The Outlaws were able to draw 12 walks throughout the course of the New York College Baseball League matchup.
Outlaws’ reliever, Brandon Agar (University of North Georgia) earned the win. He pitched the last three innings of the game and did not allow a base runner. Agar struck out five.
Geneva’s reliever, Dan McBryan (Oglethorpe University) took the loss despite a solid effort out of the bullpen. McBryan pitched two innings. He allowed an unearned run and struck out six batters.
Oneonta’s starter, Jeremy Roberts (Stonehill College) gave the Outlaws five and one-third innings pitched. He allowed three runs (one earned).
Red Wings’ relievers, Jeremy Hutchison (Neumann College) and Alex Summers (Neumann College) both kept the Outlaws scoreless out of the bullpen.
Geneva scored the game’s first run in the top of the second. Julio Nunez (Alabama A&M) stole third before a wild throw by the catcher allowed him to trot home and give the Red Wings the lead. Clint Roche’s (Marietta University) RBI single pushed the lead to 2-0.
The bottom of the second saw one of baseball’s rarest feats—a triple play. Frank D’Agostino (Temple University) reached on an error, Matt Pelt (Wofford College) hit his first of two singles in the game, and Carson Waln (Wofford College) walked to load the bases with no outs. Tyler Martis (Sienna College) stepped up to the plate hoping to get Oneonta on the board. He hit a shallow pop fly to right field. Andrew Utterback (Alabama A&M) caught the ball and quickly hit the infield cutoff. D’Agostino took a couple steps in before retreating to third base. His teammates, however, did not see him return and took off. Waln was tagged out in a rundown between first and second before D’Agostino was thrown out at home trying to take advantage of the distracted fielders. By the time the dust had settled, the play was scored 9-9-1-3-2.
Geneva sprinted off the field energized and used their motivation to add another run to their growing lead. Nunez hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Sam Kim (University of Hawaii-Hilo) and give Geneva a three-run advantage.
The Outlaws were not ready to back down. They drew three straight walks to lead off the third inning before Dan Fickas (University of South Carolina-Upstate) hit a sacrifice fly to deep right field and put Oneonta in the run column.
A single and two walks helped the Outlaws load the bases for the third straight inning in the fourth before Taylor Jones (University of North Georgia) drew a bases loaded walk to bring Oneonta within one run. A wild pitch later in the inning allowed Kody Ruedisili (Wofford College) to scamper home and score the tying run.
Ruedisili hit a sacrifice fly to put Oneonta ahead 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth. Pelt, his teammate at Wofford, scored the go ahead run.
The Red Wings were not intimidated by Oneonta’s comeback, and Travis Kreitz (Kutztown University) tied the game at four with an RBI groundout scoring Utterback in the top of the seventh inning.
The Outlaws responded in the bottom of the inning. After Pelt reached on a walk, Waln reached on an error, and Martis hit a bunt single, McBryan threw a wild pitch which allowed Pelt to score on a close play at the plate as the ball bounced right back to the catcher.
Oneonta held on to the 5-4 lead as Agar shut down the Red Wings in the eighth and ninth inning. His mentality on the mound was a simple, yet effective, one that fueled his pitching.
“Don’t let another run score,” the Outlaws’ closer said, “that was it.”
Ruedisili led the team in the field. He made eight putouts in centerfield—including a diving catch to end the fourth inning.
Ricky Gorrell (Kutztown University) and Cameron Coons (Alvernia Univerity) had two hits apiece for Geneva
With the win, Oneonta (11-8) was able to leapfrog the Sherrill Silversmiths (13-11) and claim sole possession of first place in the Eastern Division. The Red Wings (11-10) are only one game behind.
Outlaws’ coach, Joe Hughes was excited to hear his team had moved into first but would not let it distract him.
“It’s a long season and we still have some thirty games to go,” Hughes said with a smile, “all you can worry about is trying to go out and play some good baseball each night whether you’re in first place or second.”
Both teams will see each other again Sunday night in Oneonta.
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