By Andrew Grella
GENEVA, N.Y. — The Geneva Red Wings clinched first place in the East Division and ensured home field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs with a doubleheader sweep of the Sherrill Silversmiths in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at McDonough Park, Friday afternoon. The Red Wings won the first game 7-4 which solidified first for the Wings. Geneva won a nail biter in game two to win 4-3 and complete the sweep of the Silversmiths.
Mark Huddle (John Carroll U) was the hero in the first game for the Red Wings. Huddle collected four hits and drove in four. He drove in one in the first inning, one in the fourth and two in the sixth to seal the game for Geneva. The two runs in the sixth inning gave the Red Wings a three-run cushion to close the game and clinch first.
Travis Kreitz (Kutztown U) drove in his sixth run of the season with an RBI double in the bottom of the second to open up the scoring for Geneva. Cameron Coons (Alvernia U) would drive in another on a groundball that was misplayed by the first basemen for the Silversmiths and it was 3-0 after one.
Sherrill responded in the next two frame putting up a three spot in the third and one in the fourth to take the lead. An error by the third basemen plated two for the Silversmiths. Kellen Brown (Florida Atlantic U) tied the score on an RBI groundout to the second basemen to tie the score at 3. In the fourth, Jack McClure (St. Bonaventure U) gave the Smitties a lead with a sacrifice fly to center field.
But the Wings would control the rest of the game. Julio Nunez (Alabama A&M) would put the Wings on top for good in the bottom of the fourth driving in Ricky Gorrell (Kutztown U) to give Geneva a lead that wouldn’t be surrendered. The final in game one was 7-4 as Huddle added two insurance runs to complete his four hit game. Sam Tinkham (Grinnell Col) threw a complete game for his fourth win of the season to shut down the Silversmiths for the victory in game one.
Game Two was all Red Wings for the first half of the game, but Sherrill would try and fight back to keep themselves in the race for third place. But, the Silversmith rally would fall short against Alex Summers (Neumann Col) in the seventh.
The Wings scored two runs in two consecutive innings to score the only four runs for Geneva in game two. Johnathon Cruz (Dowling Col) popped his second homer of the season, hitting one in the first game of the season and on the last game of the regular season. His homer gave the Red Wings a 3-0 lead at the time. One more run would be all the Red Wings would need.
Sherrill scored two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh before the tying run was cut down at the plate with one out in the seventh to close the door on any hope of a Silversmith rally in the late innings. Alex Summers nailed down a five out save for his seventh of the season.
The Geneva Red Wings finish the season with a record of 30-16 and will face either the Syracuse Salt Cats (23-22) or the Silversmiths (22-23) in the first round of the playoffs. Syracuse and Sherrill meet Saturday with third place at stake. The Smitties hold the tiebreaker with a 5-2 advantage in the head-to-head series.
Geneva opens the playoffs Sunday night at 6 p.m.
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