By PAUL GOTHAM
PALMYRA, N.Y. — A fourth-inning mound visit served its purpose.
Palmyra-Macedon starter, Chris Finocchario, Jr. rolled through the first three innings of Thursday’s Fingers Lakes East matchup. An error in the first that put a runner aboard and an infield single in the second off his foot proved to be mere speed bumps as he set down nine of the first 11 batters he faced.
The senior right-hander struck out the leadoff man in the fourth before issuing a walk. The free pass was followed by a single putting runners on the corners.
Head coach Bryan Rodman called for time and made the walk to the mound.
“To cool me down and slow things up a little bit,” Finocchario said of the break in action. “I’m a fast-paced pitcher. I like to go quick.”
The Pal-Mac ace retired the next two batters to end the fourth. Granted, one of those was an RBI groundout, but he went on to throw three more shutout innings and a complete game in Pal-Mac’s 5-1 over Geneva.
“I like being in those situations with guys on, guys in scoring position,” he said of the fourth-inning jam. “I like it in general. I like being put in those positions where it tests my pitches and tests my discipline.”
He allowed one run on four hits and one walk and improved to 4-0 on the season.
Chris Finocchario Jr. dots the zone throughout a 1-2-3 top of the second. Elevates when he needs and tight break on his curve. pic.twitter.com/cIg9w0NEso
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 5, 2022
“My fastball was obviously working today,” he explained. “I was working my slider in there a little bit too. With my fastball and my off-speed, it’s important to mix it up and get the pitches at different heights and distances.”
He struck out 11 in what was his second complete game of the season.
“He locates his fastball really well,” said his catcher Noah Brooks. “Spotting it in and out, he has really good off-speed, too. His slider, curve you can match that and mix up the hitters’ eyes. If they’re looking down, we want to mix that up. He just settles right in. Chris has never been one to get amped up. He just settles in and he knows what he’s got to do. He just pumped strikes.”
Pal-Mac scored twice in the second inning without the virtue of a hit. Finocchario worked a leadoff walk, and Ian Goodness reached on a hit by pitch. After a pair of steals on separate plays, William Caffyn brought home the first run with an RBI groundout. Goodness scored on a wild pitch.
RBI groundout from Will Caffyn starts the scoring for Pal-Mac. pic.twitter.com/sjs1iGdiH7
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 5, 2022
The Red Raiders added a run in the third. Alex Wootton connected on a two-out single and scored when Finocchario’s fly ball to right center dropped in for a hit.
Travis Arno scored for Geneva in the fourth.
Pal-Mac added a pair of insurance runs in the fifth. Brooks walked and advanced to third on an errant pickoff attempt. Paul Goodness was hit by a pitch. Brooks scored on a Wootton sacrifice fly. Goodness got a jump in a hit-and-run situation with Finocchario and came home on the throw to first to retire his teammate.
Noah Brooks scores on this Alex Wootton sacrifice fly. Heads up base running on the next play. Paul Goodness , in motion with the pitch, rounds third on the throw from a ground ball and scores. Heading to the 6th: Pal-Mac 5 Geneva 1 pic.twitter.com/zUn3R7J9Lc
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 5, 2022
“We’re a great team all-around, especially hitting and we know if there’s a guy on base we’ll do the job,” Finocchario said. “We take it step-by-step and we get those runs in.”
The Red Raiders (No. 1 in the Class B1 standings) improved to 11-0 on the season.
“Coach always tells us every practice to play the underdog card. We don’t want to go into a game acting like we’re going to smash a team. It really does help keep us calm and under control.”
Geneva fell to a record of 7-2. The Panthers had won seven straight entering the game are No. 2 in the B1 standings.
Travis Arno leaves a runner at second with his 4th K of the night, but not before Pal-Mac gets another run. Alex Wootton scores from first when Chris Finocchario’s 2-out fly ball finds a patch of grass. P-m 3-0. pic.twitter.com/E96eC8Bzna
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 5, 2022
Arno started and struck out seven for the Panthers. Springer finished 2-for-3 on the night. Gavin Brignall doubled. Troy Snook singled.
Gavin Brignall connects on a 2-out double off the base of the fence in left but is stranded. Heading to the bottom of the fifth. Pal-Mac 3 Geneva 1 pic.twitter.com/6iO7O2Qyjx
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 5, 2022
The same two teams are scheduled to meet again on May 14th.
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