By KATIE FAULKNER
WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — The Wellsville Nitros fell to the Genesee Rapids, 11-7 in New York Collegiate Baseball League action, Wednesday.
Although the Nitros got things going first after a pair of RBI from Jake Sims (Roane State CC) and Harry Montero (Bloomfield) to make it 2-0 in the first inning, Genesee answered with a three-run second inning. Peter Bocchino (St. Michael’s) and Grant Myers (Monmouth) both drove in a run before a wild pitch scored Hunter Sykes (Mississippi) to make it 3-2.
Phillip Wells (Baldwin Wallace) connected on a two-run homer in the top of the third to extend the lead to 5-3.
The Nitros regained the lead courtesy of RBI singles from Max Franzone (Dominican) and Brian Wasilewski (U of Buffalo). Harry Montero Jr. (Bloomfield) plated another with a double, and Wellsville led 6-5 after four innings.
A third and final lead change in the sixth would be all the Rapids needed as Wells connected on his third hit of the day.
Wells went 3-for-5 and recorded six RBI while Dan Crozier went 2-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored.
Bo Gilligan (Rowan) gave up nine hits and six runs in 4.1 innings pitched for the Rapids. Luke Temperelli (Benedictine) gave up two hits in the remaining 4.2 innings.
The Nitros totaled 11 hits on the night, but their defensive struggles proved costly in the final innings.
“I think the guys realized that no matter who you’re playing, the other team wants to win just as bad as you do,” said Wellsville coach Jason Cronin. “We had seven walks and two errors, so we controlled the outcome of the game, but those runs were the difference.”
With three players batting above .350 (Wasilewski, Sims and Montero) the Wellsville bats have been hot as of lately.
“I thought we hit the ball very well,” Cronin added. “We just had nothing to show for it in the last three or four innings.”
Cameron Cook (Nichols) went 3-for-4 and with one run scored while Mike McNicholl (Eastern New Mexico) went 2-for-3 with an RBI.
Matt Hunt (Manhattanville) gave up eight runs off eight hits in five innings pitched for the Nitros. Hunt struck out six before being replaced by Nick Sampogna (Elmira), who gave up three runs in one inning on the mound. Brett Migliore, the soon-to-be Wellsville High School graduate and future Canisius Golden Griff, gave up one hit and no runs in three innings pitched.
“They’re tired,” Cronin said on his bullpen. “When you play every single day you just try and manage and put them in situations where they are going to be successful.”
The Nitros fell to 7-12 on the season and will host the Hornell Dodgers (10-11) on Thursday at 5 p.m.
Genesee (5-15) will travel to Rochester to face the Ridgemen (5-15) at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
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