By PAUL GOTHAM
AVON, N.Y. — Ryan Whitney drove in four runs including a two-run blast to cap a decisive fourth inning, and Phillip Dotterweich hurled a complete game as the Geneseo Blue Devils (8-5) avenged an earlier loss with an 8-3 victory over host Avon (7-3) in Section V Baseball action, Tuesday.
Whitney took a full-count fastball in the opposite direction to give Geneseo a 6-3 lead.
“I just choked up,” Whitney said of his adjustment to the count. “Coach says all the time to put it in play and try to drive it to the opposite field. I got the pitch I wanted.”
VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM CAROLE VOLPE.
Trailing 3-2, James Hy reached on a hit by pitch to lead off the inning. One out later, Brady O’Brien put runners on the corners with a single to left field. Ethan Bennett knotted the score with a two-out single. O’Brien scored on a passed ball, and Whitney delivered from there. Bennett scored on the play.
“That was huge,” Geneseo head coach Scott Miller said. “He’s been working at that for a long time, really taking the ball the opposite way. Understanding that he has a ton of power that way. To see him have that success is awesome.”
Ryan Whitney takes a two-out, full-count pitch deep. Three score on the play. Geneseo 6 Avon 3 Mid 4. pic.twitter.com/VveT3lgeFG
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2023
Whitney added a pair of insurance runs with a two-out double in the sixth inning for the final margin.
The win evened the regular season series between the Livingston County AA rivals with Avon taking the previous meeting, 10-1.
“Today, we came to hit,” Miller said of the difference between the two games. “We took advantage to get runs early and then we piled it on from there. Everybody hit today. That’s a huge part of it.”
Dotterweich struck out nine. He allowed four hits including a leadoff double in the first inning to Christopher Kashorek.
“The best thing with Phil today was his composure,” Miller said. “He gave up that double on the first pitch I think. You couldn’t tell. That’s huge for him. He said it the other day, ‘if I put composure with my ability, I think I can accomplish something.’ Today was a perfect example of that.”
Breaking ball from Phillip Dotterweich for the third out in the sixth. Sophomore has retired nine of 10. Geneseo 8 Avon 3 pic.twitter.com/P5i4Df9fGF
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2023
The sophomore right-hander gave up all three runs (two earned) in the third inning when Avon took a 3-2 lead.
From there, he retired 12 of the last 13 batters he faced including 10 straight to close the game and improved to 4-1 on the season.
“His curve ball was really good,” Miller said. “His fastball had a lot of pop on it, and he mixed. That’s huge for him. If he has confidence to mix back-and-forth and not just isolate to one pitch, he’s pretty hard to hit.”
Bennett finished 3-for-3 on the day with two RBI and two runs scored. Brady O’Brien and Kellen O’Brien both had a single and scored two runs.
One-out double from Evan Masten gets Avon on the board. pic.twitter.com/qW3E7DxgC6
— Paul Gotham (@PickinSplinters) May 8, 2023
Avon’s Evan Masten drove in a run with a double. He also scored. Kashorek also scored a run for the Braves. Hudson Volpe drove in a run with a sacrifice fly. Jake Driscoll scored. Cael Driscoll and Matt Malley had a single apiece.
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