By ABIGAIL SCHMIDT
HOUGHTON, N.Y. — Cameron Carney (Tusculum) went the distance and led the Rochester Ridgemen to a 6-4 victory over the Genesee Rapids Wednesday night at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex in New York Collegiate Baseball League action.
Carney allowed four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. All four earned runs came in the ninth inning.
“Pitching to contact worked for me tonight,” said the right-hander. “I didn’t try to blow it by everybody, I just tried to throw strikes.”
“He pitched well for us tonight,” said Ridgemen manager Joe Shallenberger. “He got a little bit tired towards the end but up until the ninth he had a shutout so I left him in there.”
Rochester jumped to a huge start, scoring five runs in the first inning. Tage Johnson (Houghton) and Tim Gurnow (Southwest Baptist U) recorded an RBI single and double during the inning and scored as well. Shane Soria (Westmont), Alexander Stack (Dallas) and Armando Valentin (Benedict) also crossed the plate.
“Jumping out 5-0 early was huge for us,” said Shallenberger. “We were all over their pitcher. Any time you get five runs right away it gives your pitcher confidence. He had freedom to throw a little tight and see what happens.”
Rochester scored one more run in the seventh, as Soria crossed home again off a Johnson RBI double.
Johnson and Gurnow both recorded two RBI in the victory.
The Rapids struggled again to bring men home. They left nine players on base throughout the night.
Genesee is on a five-game losing streak.
“We haven’t been able to get a big hit lately,” said Rapids manager Tyler Rost. “We had some opportunities throughout the game and we just didn’t drive guys in when we had the chance. We just need to keep our heads up, not panic and stay positive.”
The Rapids did find some life, however, in the ninth inning when Corey Andrade (Anna Maria) hit a grand slam with two outs to bring home Nick Ippolitio (Cal State Stanislaus), Triston Hill (GCC) and William Lucas (Akron) home to cut the Rochester lead to two.
“We got ourselves in good counts to hit,” said Rost about the inning. “We put some good swings on balls and got on base. Corey got ahead in the count and obviously put a great swing on that pitch.”
Unfortunately for the Rapids, the big play came a little too late as Dan Crozier (Cazenovia) was put out at the next at-bat to end the game.
Nick Watkins (Defiance) received the loss for the Rapids. He allowed five runs on six hits with two strikeouts. Ned Monthie (Houghton), Tommy Haas (Arkansas of Pinebluff) and Breton LaRose (Sacred Heart) came out the bullpen for Genesee.
The Ridgemen improve to 9-14 on the season, and while fighting illness and injury, Shallenberger was proud of his club.
“It shows a lot of character. To have the team pick it up says a lot. Baseball’s a funny game sometimes, and I tell my guys to just keep showing up and working hard and we’ll see what happens.”
Stack finished the game 2-for-5 with an RBI. Johnson collected two hits in four at bats while scoring a run and driving in two. Soria scored two runs for Rochester.
Ippolito extended his hitting streak to – an NYCBL high since 2011 – 22 games.
Austin Hauck (Siena Heights) finished 2-for-3 with a walk. Lucas added two hits for Genesee.
Rochester plays again tomorrow, July 2nd at Hornell at 7 p.m.
The Rapids fall to 13-12 on the season and will take on the Ridgemen again on Friday night in Rochester.
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