By CODY LOVE
SYRACUSE, N.Y. — A matchup between the top two teams in the New York Collegiate Baseball League’s Eastern Division lived up to its billing.
Brian Bilello (Concordia) scored the winning run in the bottom of the ninth as the first-place Syracuse Salt Cats topped the second-place Geneva Red Wings 4-3 in NYCBL action at Onondaga Community College on Thursday night.
After jumping ahead 1-0 in the first inning, the Salt Cats found themselves behind by one run twice, trailing Geneva 3-2 heading into the bottom of the ninth.
Bilello came up after an out and a walk to Jose “Manny” Colon, and was hit by a pitch from Ben Murphy (Case Western Reserve).
Bilello, doubled over in pain, remained in the game.
“It was very painful,” Bilello said. “I couldn’t move my elbow, it got me right under the elbow guard.”
Geneva closer Zach Tomasko (Elizabethtown) then came in and got the second out.
With Evan Holland (Florida International) at the plate, the Salt Cats tried a double steal that paid off, advancing Bilello to second, and Johnny Knight IV (Walsh), who pinch ran for Colon, to third.
Holland then hit a liner to left that tied the game and moved Bilello to third.
Tomasko then threw a wild pitch, allowing Bilello to score the winning run.
“It got by him, I sprinted home,” Bilello said. “Kids bombarded me and threw water on me, it was fun.”
Bilello was also responsible for the first Salt Cats run, connecting on an RBI single in the bottom of the first that scored Matt Mastroianni (SUNY Oneonta).
The walk-off win didn’t surprise head coach Mike Martinez.
“We’ve been battling all year long,” Martinez said, “I knew from where I was watching the game that we were going to [get] ahead and stay ahead.”
Martinez was not watching from the dugout as he was ejected in the fourth inning after a controversial call gave the Red Wings a 2-1 lead.
Mason Schoettlin (Lawson State CC) attempted a steal of home, but was initially called out after appearing to be tagged out by Colon at the plate. The Red Wings dugout exploded with complaints that Colon dropped the ball, and after a discussion between the two umpires, the call was reversed and Schoettlin was called safe. Martinez came out and argued with the umpires and was tossed.
As is typical for the Salt Cats head coach, he declined to push the issue further after the game.
“I’ll never say anything bad about an umpire,” Martinez said, “It was a judgment call…it resulted in a changed call, let’s leave it at that.”
The changed call meant that Schoettlin stole second, third, and home in the inning.
After that, Geneva led until the seventh inning thanks in large part to starter Brandon Maddern (John Carroll).
He allowed one run in the first, but managed to keep the Salt Cats off the board in the rest of his outing despite several threats and six hits, striking out six in six innings of work.
Murphy relieved Maddern in the seventh and allowed three walks, two of them with two outs.
He then hit Cameron Dias (Rutgers-Newark), allowing Brandon Cornelius (Rutgers-Camden) to score the tying run.
Murphy stayed in the game until he hit Bilello, ultimately striking out four in an inning and two thirds of work. He was charged with the loss.
Geneva pushed across a go-ahead run in the top of the ninth. Nick Meo (Ithaca College) hit a single off Erik Johansen (SUNY Oneonta) and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt.
A well-hit RBI single to left-center field by Tanner Ivey (Alabama A &M) scored Meo and gave Geneva the 3-2 lead. Ivey went 3-for-3 with two walks.
Despite the earned run, Johansen was the winning pitcher, striking out two and allowing three hits in two innings of relief.
Charles “Chase” Davis (Northwestern College) started the game for Syracuse. In five innings of work, he allowed two earned runs on five hits with six walks and four strikeouts.
Kyle Kuhr (Siena Heights) relieved Davis and pitched two strong innings, keeping Geneva scoreless and getting a strikeout and a walk.
Geneva’s Zach Wingate (Birmingham Southern), hit an RBI double to tie the game at one in the top of the third. He was 1-for-5 on the day.
Holland’s game-tying RBI in the ninth for Syracuse was part of a busy day at the plate. He went 2-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout.
Five players stole bases for the Salt Cats. Knight stole two in the ninth inning, while Mastroianni, Bilello, Holland and Cornelius each stole one.
Syracuse left 12 runners on base and Geneva left nine.
The Salt Cats hosted the Solvay Tigers Little League team as part of their Little League night. The boys and girls got to tour the stadium and field and practice fielding with Salt Cats players before the game.
They were each given a ball for autographs and a hat, and escorted the Salt Cats on to the field in pregame introductions. A different kid served as bat boy in each inning.
The Salt Cats (9-3) and Red Wings (5-4) meet again tomorrow in Geneva. Before the regularly scheduled 7:00 game, the teams will resume a suspended game from June 12th at 6:00. The Salt Cats bring a three-game winning streak in NYCBL play into the game (four games overall counting an exhibition win over the Elmira Pioneers of the Perfect Game Collegiate Baseball League).
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