Pickin' Splinters

Rochester's Independent Sports Source

Goodness delivers in the clutch; Athena downs Canandaigua

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Parker Goodness scattered four hits and a walk over four shutout innings in relief while striking out five to pick up the win as Greece Athena defeated Canandaigua, 10-3 in Monroe County Division III action. (Photo: Paul Gotham)

By PAUL GOTHAM

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Parker Goodness came on in relief with bases loaded and no outs in the third inning of a 3-3 game on Tuesday.

Three batters later, the junior right-hander had retired the side without any of those baserunners advancing.

In the home half of that same inning, he delivered a two-out double, and host Greece Athena went on to defeat Canandaigua, 10-3 in Monroe County Division III action.

“I had to do it for my guys,” Goodness said of his performance on the mound. “Back against the wall, that’s what I’m here to do.”

Goodness entered the game after coming to the plate in the previous half-inning. Without getting any prior warm-ups tosses, he took his spot on the mound and threw the customary eight pitches to get loose. He then set down the first two batters faced on strikes and induced a routine fly ball to end the inning.

“We knew he may have to come in and pitch,” said Athena head coach Tim Sova. “Having to hit in the inning before, he didn’t have the opportunity to warm up properly. I went out there for a mound visit and said ‘Hey, can you do it, can you throw through this inning?’ To get out of that without giving up a run?”

Leaving runners on base became a recurring theme for Goodness who stranded eight over his four innings of work – seven in scoring position. In both the fourth and fifth innings, he escaped situations with runners on second and third and one out.

“I told him, I guess we got to put guys at second and third every inning for you to start pitching,” Sova said with a smile. “He made it interesting, but he made huge pitches when he needed to.

“He’s a gritty kid. I’ve known him since he was seven. He’s a great kid and has developed every year. Fortunately, we got him for another year.”

Goodness scattered four hits and a walk over four shutout innings while striking out five to pick up the win.

“My change up felt good today,” he said. “There was a little breeze arm side and that was helping me with that pitch.”

Jacob Sova sparked a four-run bottom of the third with a one-out single. Trae Rankin reached on a hit by pitch. After a Trace Brewer fly ball put runners on the corners, Alex Hall connected on the go-ahead hit – a two-run single through the right side of the infield. Cam Cook doubled to put runners on second and third, and Goodness squared up a fastball for a two-bagger of his own.

“He threw me a curve ball that missed for the first pitch,” Goodness. “I knew he wasn’t going to come back with that, so I was looking for a fastball.”

He gave the Trojans (5-1) a commanding 7-3 lead.

Goodness finished with two walks and three stolen bases in the win. Hall went 2-for-4 with two runs scored and two stolen bases. Sova was 2-2 with two walks and three runs scored. Cook was 2-3 with a run scored. Rankin was 1-2 with an RBI, a sacrifice bunt and two stolen bases. Sammy Saucke walked three times and stole two bases. Brewer was 1-4 with an RBI and a stolen base. Gio Stewart singled, stole a base and scored.

Cole Harris went 1-3 with a walk and two RBI to lead Canandaigua (5-4). Tyler Christopher walked three times and scored once for the Gray Wolves. Sam Clark and Cormick Schaeffer both walked and scored. Nate Brinza went 2-4 with a double. Jack Clark singled. Austin Kierst doubled.

The game was called after six innings due to darkness.

The same two teams meet at Evans Field in Canandaigua on Wednesday.

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