By KATIE FAULKNER
WELLSVILLE, N.Y. — Harry Montero Jr. (Bloomfield) paced the Wellsville Nitros with two home runs and six RBI in a 14-6 win over the Genesee Rapids, in New York Collegiate Baseball League action, Friday.
Montero, who is now batting a .406 on the season, leads the NYCBL in three hitting categories. The Millville, New Jersey native has 46 RBI and eight home runs.
“Lately I’ve been seeing a lot of off-speed pitches,” Montero said. “I’ve been trying to recognize those and hit them to center field.”
The Nitros struck first when Tyler Culpepper (Roane State CC) connected on a leadoff double. He eventually scored on a passed ball.
The Rapids pushed across three runs in the third with a Judah Wollenburg (Rio Grande) single. Mark McKenna (Canisius) and Dan Crozier (Cazenovia) connected on back-to-back home runs to make the score 3-1.
The Nitros began to pull away in the fourth when Cole Tracy (Finger Lakes), Nic Varda (Ashland) and Mike McNicholl (Eastern New Mexico) all singled to load the bases for Culpepper, who connected on a two-RBI single. Montero delivered a grand slam to extend the lead to 9-3.
Montero went 3-for-5 with six RBI, while Culpepper went 3-for-4 with two RBI. Tracy went 3-for-5 and scored three times. Varda, who is now batting a .327, added three hits and an RBI.
Genesee’s McKenna went 2-for-5 with two RBI and a home run while Crozier added a home run and scored twice. Peter Bocchino (St. Michael’s) and Wollenburg added two hits apiece.
Sam Rice (Ashland) got the win on the mound for the Nitros, allowing six runs on 13 hits in eight innings pitched. He is now tied with Olean’s Aaron Phillips for wins with five. He struck out five before Patrick Berthelette (Marymount) took over for the final inning.
“I started out with my fastball, but they started to hit me around a little bit, so then I went more with my off speed and that worked,” said Rice.
With some of the best hitters in the NYCBL, the Wellsville bats are taking the pressure off of their pitchers.
“Having the hitters we have on our team is very important as a pitcher,” said Rice. “We’re going to get the win if everyone hits.”
Bo Gilligan (Rowan) gave up ten runs on 12 hits in four innings pitched for the Rapids. Jacob Burlingame (Canisius) allowed two runs on three hits in two innings, while Philip Wells (Baldwin-Wallace) gave up two runs and retired two.
The Nitros improved to 17-17 on the season, while the Rapids fell to 11-22.
Wellsville travels to Rochester to face the Ridgemen at Basket Rd Field at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The Rapids host the Cortland Crush (22-9) at 7 p.m. on Saturday.
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