By PAUL GOTHAM
GENEVA, N.Y. — Call it economical. The Geneva Twins tallied runs in only three innings and used a trio of pitchers Sunday afternoon. The result was a doubleheader sweep.
Timely hitting backed a pair of impressive starting pitching performances, and Geneva took two seven-inning affairs (1-0/6-2) from the Olean Oilers in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at McDonough Park.
Marty Napleton (St. Joseph’s Coll) scored the only run in the opener during Geneva’s last at bat and sparked the offense early in the nightcap as the Twins (10-9) grabbed hold of fourth place in the NYCBL’s Western Division.
“We’ve had several innings where we score three, four runs” Geneva manager Andy Weeks said. “Just would like to come out the rest of the game and keep swinging the same way.”
Napleton singled to right field off Olean game one starter, Ryan Pordes (El Camino Coll).
“I was just looking for something soft,” Napleton said of his base hit to start the sixth inning of the opener. “He wasn’t overpowering guys, but he was making good pitches with his off speed. He went 0-2. He threw me a curve ball, and I didn’t try to do too much with it.”
Connor Simonetti (Kent State) followed with a base hit. Geneva loaded the bases when a Luke Waldek (Minn St. Comm & Tech Col) sacrifice bunt couldn’t be fielded cleanly, and Austin Kearney (Carson-Newman) delivered with a sacrifice fly to bring home the eventual game-winner.
“People take bunting and things like that for granted,” Weeks stated. “It can change the game for you. Our guys were able to get it down, and it made the difference in the game.”
In his next at bat, Napleton singled home a run in the first inning of the nightcap and brought home two more an inning later.
“I just wanted to be aggressive with guys in scoring position,” Napleton commented.
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Bob Barnett (Widener) reached on a walk to start the first and stole second. One out later, Waldek put runners on the corners for Napleton.
“The first inning the pitch was there and I drove it up the middle,” Napleton said. “I didn’t really crush it.”
Barnett and Taylor Vile (Castleton St.) chased Olean starter Lawson Wishard (Maryville) with a single to center and double to left. Napleton drilled the first offering from Kaden Darrow (Marymount) into the gap bringing home both base runners.
Andy Lalonde (So New Hampshire) delivered the big blow in the first inning of the night cap.
“The second pitch was change up outside,” Lalonde explained. “I kinda had a feeling like he was staying away from me. He came back with a fastball, and I tried to stay with it and went to right.
Lalonde’s blast one-hopped the wall and brought home Waldek and Napleton. Lalonde reached third, and JT Conti (Wayne State) plated him with a bloop single down the right field line.
Barnett and Taylor Vile (Castleton St.) chased Olean game two starter Lawson Wishard (Maryville) with a single to center and double to start the second. Napleton drilled the first offering from Kaden Darrow (Marymount) into the gap bringing home both base runners.
When it was done, the Twins had scored all their runs for the afternoon in three straight at bats.
“That’s the weird thing about baseball,” Weeks said. “I obviously would like to come out and score every single inning. You got to find a way to win games, and our guys were able to do that today.”
Geneva’s Mitchell Powers (So. New Hampshire) picked up the win in game one. The right-hander scattered six hits over six and a third for his second win of the season.
“Inside fastball has been working a lot,” Powers noted. “I don’t think hitters see it enough. Pitchers don’t have the confidence to throw it enough. I have the confidence to throw it, and it’s a very effective pitch.”
He fanned six and walked one.
“Change up was on today,” Powers added. “Slider was on today. I had all three pitches working today.”
The free pass was the first one the Newburgh, Indiana native has issued in 26 innings of work this season. He has struck out 22.
“He’s done a great job all season,” Weeks stated. “I wanted to leave him in for the complete game, but obviously we got to win the game. We got to get a W when we can. Great effort by him.”
Kyle Monk (Emory) came on and induced a ground ball for a double play to end the game and pick up his fifth save of the season.
Luke Salerno (Castleton St.) went the distance in game two for his third win of the season. The right-hander allowed one baserunner – a walk – through the first two and two-thirds. He gave up two runs on five hits and one free pass.
“I recently incorporated a sinker into my arsenal,” Salerno said. “I was giving that a pretty good go today. I was getting a lot of ground balls out of it.”
Olean got to Salerno in the third and fourth. Cole Peterson (St. Bonaventure) worked a two-out single. The Oiler shortstop move to second on a wild pitch and stole third. Sam Kysor (USC-Upstate) made it a 6-1 game with a single to center.
Rick Hopkins Jr. (Dickinson) brought home Matt Kamenicky (Clarion) with a two-out single in the fourth.
“I started to get away from how I’ve always pitched,” Salerno said. “I started to pull my head a little bit. I really thought about you know what I was doing up there. I made adjustments. That’s what you got to do.”
Salerno retired 10 of the last 11 he faced.
After allowing a hit and walk in the second, Darrow hurled four innings of shutout ball. The right-hander struck out four and walked two.
“We’ve given him a couple of opportunities now and each time he’s out there he’s really good control,” Olean manager Bobby Bell said. “He’s always down in the zone. He’s going to be a reliable arm as we go on in the season.”
Olean’s Evan Ryan (Erie CC) made a sensational play in the night cap. The Olean third baseman chased down a fly ball in foul territory and made an over the shoulder catch with his back to home plate.
“He’s definitely one of the guys who hustles every play,” Bell mentioned. “To see him hustle over there and get after it was great.”
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