GENEVA, N.Y. — The New York Collegiate Baseball League has a new strike-out king, and the Geneva Red Wings live another day.
Vince Apicella (Carson-Newman) improved to 7-0 on the season as Geneva defeated the Sherrill Silversmiths, 3-1 at McDonough Park Thursday night.
Apicella struck out 11 in seven innings of work to run his season-high to a league-best (since 2006) 77 punch outs. The southpaw fanned the first batter of the night he faced and struck out the side in order in the second, fourth and seventh frames – the final out giving him one more than current major leaguer, Mike Fiers who struck out 76 for the Saratoga Phillies (now Oneonta Outlaws) in 2008.
The Eastern Division all-star allowed his first earned run since June 19th in the third when Zach Taylor (Haverford) singled home Mitch Sloan (Fort Scott CC). Apicella did not allow a runner past second over the next four innings.
Lucas Zilli (Michigan State) delivered all the runs needed as Geneva rallied for three runs in the sixth. Apicella’s battery mate cleared the bases with a one-out double to give the home nine a 3-1 lead they would not surrender.
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A.J. Compton (Elmhurst) walked to start the inning. Jackson Rhodes (Birmingham Southern) singled to right and an error put runners on the corners. Tanner Ivey (Alabama A&M) reached when he was hit by a pitch, and Zilli followed with the eventual game winner.
Josh Appel (SUNY Brockport) came out of the bullpen and tossed two scoreless innings for his first save of the season.
With the win, Geneva (21-21) stays alive in the hunt for the fourth and final playoff spot in the NYCBL’s Eastern Division. The Red Wings trail the Syracuse Jr. Chiefs (23-22). The Jr. Chiefs close out the season against their cross-town rival Syracuse Salt Cats, Friday night. Geneva hosts Sherrill again Friday before playing two against Oneonta to end the regular season on Saturday. If the two teams tie, a playoff game will decide who advances.
Apicella also lead the NYCBL in wins (7) and ERA (0.30).
Fiers struck out 10 over five innings of work Thursday night as Milwaukee lost to Arizona, 8-3.
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