By RYAN PADDEN/Courtesy of HORNELLDODGERS.com
HORNELL, N.Y. — The Hornell Dodgers couldn’t quite rally back from an early hole and fell 13-11 to the Genesee Rapids in New York Collegiate Baseball League action at Maple City Park, Wednesday night. The loss brings the Dodgers to 13-15 on the season while the Rapids improve to 8-18.
The Genesee Rapids were first to put runs on the board with a big five run third. Judah Wollenburg (Rio Grande) got things going with an RBI single. Capitalizing on a Dodger error Jonathan Nola (Walsh) proceeded to add the second run of the inning. Dan Crozier (Cazenovia) added an RBI groundout with Daniel Lockwood (St. Edwards) driving in another run on a single. To round out the Rapids rally Lockwood scored on the second Dodger error of the inning bringing the score to 5-0.
In the fourth, the Rapids added to their lead with Nola driving in William Lucas (Charleston) on a single to bring their lead to 6-0.
The Dodgers answered right back in the bottom end of the fourth cutting into the Rapids lead scoring three runs of their own. Jack Trotman (St. John Fisher) took advantage of a Rapids error, scoring, to put the first run on the board for the Dodgers. Dylan May (Wofford) hit an RBI single with Andy Brahier (Wisconsin Oshkosh) driving in the final run of the inning with an RBI single to cut the Rapids lead to 6-3.
The Rapids had another offensive rally with a four-run sixth inning. Wollenburg had an RBI single while Mark McKenna (Canisius) added an RBI double. Wollenburg proceeded to score on a Dodger wild pitch with Crozier closing out the rally driving in one on a sacrifice fly to grow the Rapids lead to 10-3.
The offensive production kept coming for the Rapids in the seventh tacking on two more off a Crozier two-run homer down the right field line to boost their lead to 12-3.
The Dodgers offense had a resurgence in the bottom of the eighth putting up five runs. Brahier earned an RBI on a bases loaded walk for the first run of the inning. Tyler Burns (Trevecca Nazarene) and Adam Naliwajko (Webster) each added RBI singles with Ty Reginelli (Wofford) knocking in one on a sacrifice fly. Fitzgibbon finished out the scoring driving in Burns on a single and cutting back into the Rapids lead 12-8.
In the top of the ninth the Rapids scored one last insurance run on a pair of Dodger errors.
The Dodgers tried to mount a comeback rally in the bottom of the ninth but came up short only being able to muster up three runs. Fitzgibbon drove in one on a single to left while Trotman added the last two runs on a double down the right field line bringing the Dodgers deficit to 13-11. Trotman, the tying run was stranded at second when the final out was recorded.
The Dodgers had 15 hits on the night with Trotman and May both going 3-for-4 and Burns going 3-for-5 at the plate.
Nola went 3-for-4 at the dish for the Rapids.
Wes Brown (William Carey) got the win on the mound for the Rapids with seven innings of work allowing five runs on eight hits and three walks while striking out four. Breton LaRose (Sacred Heart) got the save with 1.2 innings of work allowing three runs on two hits.
The Dodgers will be back to work on Friday July 1st playing the Wellsville Nitros at Maple City Park. First pitch will be come at 7 p.m.
Genesee travels to Olean to play the first-place Oilers, Thursday. A 7 p.m. first pitch is slated at Bradner Stadium.
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