By Paul Gotham
GENEVA, N.Y. — If Geneva’s Red Wings ever go for a name change, they might want to consider something of a feline persuasion. After Sunday’s performance the Geneva nine look comfortable taking advantage of nine lives.
Andrew Utterback (Alabama A&M) plated the winning run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the tenth as Geneva came from behind to defeat the Olean Oilers in New York Collegiate Baseball action at McDonough Park, Sunday.
Utterback’s fly ball to center field proved deep enough to score Mike Osinski (Longwood) as the Red Wings erased an early three-run deficit for their sixth consecutive win and seven in their last eight.
“I was just trying to do anything I could to help my team win,” Utterback said. “I knew if I got a fly ball deep enough that would get him home.”
It was fitting that Utterback got a chance to win the game at the plate after he preserved the opportunity for victory in the field. The Geneva right-fielder gunned down Michael Roman (St. John Fisher) at the plate to complete a 9-2 double play for the third and final out of the ninth inning.
“I knew I had to stay behind it because the wind was blowing out,” Utterback said of the play. “It was a once in a lifetime throw.”
After fielding a fly ball off the bat of Sam Kysor (USC Upstate), the Sigourney, IA native delivered a strike on a line to Geneva catcher Chris Burns (Alvernia) to complete the double play.
“As it was getting closer I thought ‘it’s got a chance,'” Utterback. stated. “Sure enough Burns made a great play at home to tag him out.”
It was the first of back-to-back inning ending double plays from the outfield to home plate.
Jordan Haas (Arkansas Pine Bluff) turned the trick in the tenth to nail Brett Bauth (Erie CC) at the dish.
“Those are two great plays,” Burns said of his teammates’ throws. “We got some great defense. There is a lot of confidence in the arms out there. Throws were right on line. All I had to do was catch it and the tag down. They did all the work. They were right on the money.”
“We took our chances and tried to make our own breaks,” said Olean coach Bobby Bell. “They made the plays. Kudos to them.”
Geneva loaded the bases in the ninth without an out but came away empty-handed. Utterback reached with a leadoff hit by pitch and stole second. John Cruz (Dowling) beat out a sacrifice bunt for a single, and Sam Kim (Hawaii Hilo) received an intentional walk to load the bases.
But Dylan Callahan (Trinity) retired the next two batters on strikes and barehanded a come-backer for a 1-3 ground out to end the threat.
Osinski beat out an infield single to lead the tenth and moved to second on an errant pickoff attempt. Haas reached when Callahan fielded his sacrifice bunt and tried to get Osinski at third.
Andrew Mercer (Southern Indiana) tossed two scoreless innings for the win. The right-hander allowed two hits, struck out one and walked none for his first win of the season.
Sam Tinkham (Grinnell) started and went seven innings for the Wings. The southpaw allowed three runs (two earned) on five hits. He struck out eight and walked one.
“I was setting guys up with my fastball early,” Tinkham explained. “My change-up is usually my out pitch. For whatever reason I wasn’t getting swings and misses, but I was able to mix up sequences in and out.”
Olean jumped to a 2-0 lead in the second.
Mark Lepri (Aquinas) started the stanza with a single through the left side. One out later, Roman doubled past the outstretched glove of a diving Haas in right center, and Lepri scored from first. Roman took advantage of two errors and crossed the dish.
“It was just about us making plays,” Tinkham added. “They’ve been good all year. I was happy we battled back and got the W.”
Olean stretched the lead to three in the fourth. Derek Turocy (Lake Erie) singled off Tinkham’s glove. One out later, Turocy stole second and moved to third on a passed ball. Austin Johnson (South Florida CC) topped a ball off the dirt in front of home plate and beat out the throw to first allowing Turocy to score.
Tinkham retired the last eight he faced. The only batter to reach against him in his final three innings of work came by way of an error.
“In that second inning when I gave up a couple of hits, I was mostly working away,” Tinkham explained. “That’s usually where I go. They seemed to be sticking their arms out, so I tried to go in later half of the game. Really tied them up and set up the off-speed stuff away.”
Geneva put a run on the board in the fourth.
Julio Nunez (Alabama A&M) connected for a one-out double off Olean starter, Harley Moore (Dickinson). After a stolen base, Nunez came home on a Clint Roche (Marietta) ground ball.
Two innings later, the Wings tied the score. Kim reached out and slapped a two-strike offering back through the box. Burns scored the run with a double to left center. Nunez moved the runner with a fly ball to deep right field, and Osinski delivered with a sacrifice fly.
“They keep finding a way to do it,” Geneva coach George Schaefer commented. “The bats aren’t always there. Sometimes, you have to scratch runs with a bunt and a hit and run. You’re not [always] going to put together three doubles in a row. They managed to do it.”
With the win Geneva (18-11) maintains a one-game lead over Oneonta (17-12) atop the NYCBL’s Eastern Division as teams head into the All Star break.
Brian Zielinski (Alvernia) retired the side in order for Geneva in the eighth.
Moore gave up three runs on eight hits over six innings. The Olean starter struck out five and walked one.
“He does really well with his command,” Bell said of his pitcher. “He can dominate when he’s on.”
Aaron Graising (Defiance) pitched an inning and a third of shutout ball for the Oilers.
Roman and Turocy collected two hits apiece for the visitors.
Osinski led all batters with three hits.
Kim went 2-3 with two walks. The Mission Viejo, California native has five multi-hit games in the last seven and has strung together hits in his last ten outings. He connected in the first for his league-leading 14th double of the season. The NYCBL single-season high since 2006 is 16 held by four players (Jesse Bosnik/Brockport ’08, Josh Davis/Rochester ’13, Joe McIntyre/Webster ’07 and Chris Newcomb/Allegany County ’11).
“I’ve been looking for my pitch to hit and been lucky enough to get it,” Kim said. “I’ve been lucky enough to find some grass out there where they’re not standing.”
The Wings travel to Cortland to take on the Crush (11-19) on Wednesday. First pitch at Beaudry Park is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Olean (9-17) returns to McDonough Park to take on the Geneva Twins (18-10) for another 7 p.m. first pitch.
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