By ABIGAIL SCHMIDT
HOUGHTON, N.Y. — The Hornell Dodgers fired on all cylinders Wednesday night as they shut out the Genesee Rapids, 8-0 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.
Troy Montemayor (Baylor) got the win for the Dodgers. He allowed no runs on four hits and struck out two Rapids in seven innings.
The Dodgers defense did not let a single Genesee runner past second base all night.
“I had a great defense behind me,” said Montemayor, the San Antonio native. “I threw some zeroes up, but you can’t win without some hits. The offense scored a lot of runs for us.”
Dodgers’ reliever Jose Almany (Erie CC) came out the bullpen in the eighth and allowed no runs, one hit and struck out two.
“I would like to start off throwing more strikes,” said Montemayor. “I fell behind a few times and had to work and that’s when they hit the ball.”
The Dodgers offense went off for eight runs on 13 hits. They scored four runs in the fourth and three in the seventh, with one in the third to claim the win.
Brock Eissman (Vanguard)doubled and collected three RBI on the night while Tommy LaCongo (Monroe CC/Bonaventure) added two for the visitors. Steven Goldstein (Kansas) crossed the plate twice for the Dodgers.
“Our approach was good today,” said Dodgers’ manager Tom Kenney. “We executed a lot of little ball stuff. We got our bunts down and created a little havoc there in the fourth. And Troy pitched very well.
“They played well tonight. We played good defense, pitched well, and I don’t have any complaints.”
Nick Watkins (Defiance) took the loss for the Rapids. He gave up five runs on eight hits with no strikeouts in six innings. Jason Collingwood (Greenville) came out of the bullpen as relief in the seventh, and Tommy Haas (Arkansas of Pine Bluff) threw the ninth.
“There’s little things that we need to do to get better,” said Rapids manager Tyler Rost. “Our outfield has to throw the ball through the cut, we can’t give up extra bases, and at the plate our timing has to be better.
“You’re going to have these nights,” he continued. “We just need to bounce back tomorrow.”
A defensive highlight for Genesee came in the top of the fifth when right fielder Bailey Smith (Howard Payne) made a diving catch with a runner on second for the second out of the inning.
Rapids’ shortstop Nick Ippolito (Cal State Stanislaus) recorded a double on the evening.
The Dodgers improve to 7-6 on the season with the win.
“If we come out and get after it like that everyday, the results are going to be big,” commented Kenney.
The Rapids fall to 10-5 with the loss but have another chance at the Dodgers tomorrow at 11 a.m. at Maple City Park.
“We need to bring energy tomorrow,” said Rost. “It’s going to be an early game, but the guys need to get themselves ready and be awake and alert enough to play.”
Written by Abigail Schmidt, junior year business and communications major at Houghton College
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