By MIKE DeSANTO
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — In an evening which saw two separate 30-minute rain delays, pushing the game deep into the night, junior Riley Brandvold (University of the South) delivered an RBI single in the top of the 10th to lead the Genesee Rapids to a 3-2 win over the Rochester Ridgemen in New York Collegiate Baseball League action Monday night.
The Rapids acted quickly in extra innings, as sophomore Josh Hayner (Messiah College) singled to start the 10th. Two quick lineouts put the inning in jeopardy for the Rapids, but senior John Zamites (Houghton College) drew a walk to extend the inning and put runners on first and second. Brandvold capped off the inning with his RBI single up the middle, scoring Hayner.
“Definitely just trying to get something out over the plate and drive it the backside,” Brandvold said. “He threw me a 2-2 breaking ball that just kind of caught the middle of the plate. I was able to pull my hands inside and get it up the middle.”
The hit was Brandvold’s second game-winner in the last two days, as he had the walk-off single against the Wellsville Nitros on Sunday.
Rapids’ head coach Joe Mina said his team did what they needed to do when necessary to get the win, despite a tough start.
“[We] came out a little rocky with some base running, but key hits when we needed them, head up play,” Mina said. “We’ve learned the last couple games that we’re never out of it. I think our perseverance is what we’ve learned about our team recently and I think it showed tonight.”
Sophomore Jeam Castillo (New England College) started for the Rapids on the mound, lasting five innings and allowing one run on three hits and three walks with seven strikeouts, four of which came looking. Castillo, a left-hander, retired 11 of the 13 batters he faced between the second and fourth innings.
Sophomore Mac Cavin (North Greenville College) pitched the ninth inning and the start of the tenth before leaving with an elbow injury. The right-handed Cavin surrendered no runs, no hits and two walks, striking out one to earn the win.
Both teams’ offenses were kept quiet to start the game, with each getting a runner to third. The Ridgemen’s runner came in the first inning when freshman Trevor Cho (St. Cloud State University) reached on a fielder’s choice, advancing to second when sophomore Brooks Pitaniello (Harding University) was caught between second and third. Cho reached third on a sacrifice fly out to centerfield from senior Casey Claflin (Shawnee State University).
Zamites reached third for the Rapids in the third inning, tapping the ball down the third base line for an infield single. Roberts singled to left, moving Zamites to second, and senior Travis Ralls (Greenville College) walked to load the bases with two outs. But, senior Austin Marsh (Greenville College) struck out to end the inning.
However, the Rapids broke through in the fifth inning, plating two runs to take the lead. Brandvold was hit by a pitch to open the inning, bringing Roberts to the plate. Roberts promptly tripled into the right-centerfield gap, allowing Brandvold to score the first runs of the game. After a strikeout, Ralls came up and singled home Roberts, but was cut down trying to advance to second on the throw home.
The Ridgemen answered in the bottom half of the fifth, scoring one run to cut the deficit to one. Sophomore Seth Hagan (Centre College) led off the fifth with a walk, moving up on a single from senior TJ Lanning (Trinity College) and a fielder’s choice from junior Connor Dunn (University of Puget Sound), which resulted in Lanning being forced out at second. Pitaniello took advantage of the run opportunity, driving Hagan in with a sacrifice fly out.
The teams traded opportunities over the next few innings, but in the bottom of the eighth, the Ridgemen struck. Sophomore Andrew Bayard (Westmont College) got on base via a fielder’s choice, causing senior Christina Bitar (Regis University), who had singled, to be out at second. Bayard made it to second on a passed, putting him in scoring position with Hagan at the plate. Hagan then provided the game-tying hit, singling home Bayard.
“I talked with [junior Dillon McTague (Colorado Christian University)] before the game and we were just talking about two-strike approach,” Hagan said. “I’ve been struggling with two-strike approaches all year. So, in that at bat, I just kind of got down on my legs, spread out and just focused on getting my hands to the ball. I saw a pitch up and just decided to take a hack at it. Luckily, it turned out to be a line drive up the middle.”
A rain delay held the ninth off, and when play resumed neither team managed to score, sending the game to extra innings.
After Brandvold’s RBI single put the Rapids ahead, the Ridgemen got a runner to second early in the bottom half, but freshman Bailey Hall (Eastern Mennonite University) entered to pitch for the injured Cavin, striking out the side to end the game.
Justin Dillard, head coach of the Ridgemen, said it was nice for the team to be able to stay competitive throughout the game.
“It was fun playing in a tight, competitive game,” Dillard said. “We had a lot of chances, we gave them a lot of chances, they gave us a lot of chances, so it was fun playing in a tight game like that.”
Senior Tanner Pruett (Crown College) gave up two runs on seven hits and two walks in six innings for the Ridgemen. The lefty, already the team leader in strikeouts, added six strikeouts to his season total.
Junior Zach Roberts (Eastern Mennonite University) also contributed offensively for the Rapids, going 3-for-6 with an RBI triple in the fifth inning.
“Right-handed, especially with the pitcher the Ridgemen threw today, trying to keep it off balance. So I try to keep a middle, right-side approach, but he mixes pitches well,” Roberts said. “So I’m just trying to stay on the ball as long as I can and, luckily, for three at bats today it worked out.”
The Rapids moved to 9-13 on the season, sitting 6.5 games back of first in the Western Division. The Ridgemen fell to 4-14 and move to 9.5 games back of first.
The Ridgemen will next play Tuesday at 7 p.m. when they welcome the Rome Generals to Basket Road Field.
The Rapids’ next game will be on Tuesday at 7 p.m. as they host the Olean Oilers at Houghton College.
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