By KATIE FAULKNER
WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — The Wellsville Nitros beat the Rochester Ridgemen, 18-6, behind a 17-hit effort at the plate in New York Collegiate Baseball League action on Sunday night. Wellsville improved to 6-11 with the win.
The Nitros struck early when Harry Montero (Bloomfield) brought Nic Varda home with an RBI single. A Brian Wasilewski (U of Buffalo) grand slam gave Wellsville a 5-0 lead after the first inning. Varda and Max Franzone (Dominican) kept the momentum going with two singles apiece in the bottom of the second. A Jacob Sims (Roane State CC) double scored Varda before Montero registered his third homerun of the week to plate both Franzone and Sims.
Montero now has the second-highest batting average in the league at .400 behind Hornell’s Mike Wick (Webster).
“In practice I’ve just been focusing on staying in the middle of the field,” said Montero. “I’ve been trying to stay all the way through the baseball and not pull off.”
Rochester got its first hit in the third after Joseph Done (Northwestern) singled and then advanced to third on an error. A Matt Jackson single plated Done to make the score 9-1. Rochester wouldn’t score again until a D. O’Brian solo home run in the sixth.
Carlos Tejeda (Bloomfield) allowed three hits and one run in three innings pitched for Wellsville. The Flushing, NY native struck out three batters before Joshua Limes (Cowley County CC) replaced him. Limes gave up three hits and retired three in four innings. Cole Tracy (Finger Lakes) gave up five hits in the final two innings.
Rochester’s Ean Walda (Pikeville) allowed 14 hits and 16 runs in four innings pitched. Jared Piper (Hillsdale) and Ethan Luna (Southwestern) combined for three innings pitched for the Ridgemen.
In a game that saw five total home runs, four were courtesy of the Nitros. Along with Montero and Wasilewski, Tyler Culpepper (Roane State CC) and Franzone also homered. Culpepper went 3-for-6 and finished with three runs and two RBI. Wasilewski and Montero racked up four RBI apiece.
Nathan Methvin (Tyler JC) went 2-for-5 with an RBI, while Casey Claflin (Northwestern Ohio) also recorded two hits and an RBI.
The Nitros and the Ridgemen (5-12) will face off again on Monday at Basket Road Field at 7 p.m.
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