BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – The Geneva College baseball team got a strong start from freshman pitcher Ryan Conover, enabling the Golden Tornadoes to split a pair of games on Monday afternoon against Clarks Summit, the first home games of the spring for Geneva. Clarks Summit took the first game, 7-0, before Conover's outing led Geneva to an 11-1 win in game two. Geneva's record is now 7-10 overall.
Freshman Ethan Blair got the start in the first game, and he held Clarks Summit scoreless for the first three innings, but the Geneva offense could not get anything going against Defenders' starting pitcher Daniel Knight.
Clarks Summit rallied for three two-out runs in the top of the fourth to open up the scoring, and it proved more than the Geneva offense could manage against Knight. The Defenders added three runs in the sixth and one in the seventh against the Golden Tornado bullpen, closing out the scoring in the 7-0 win.
Geneva managed just four hits, all singles, in the game.
Conover got the start in game two, and two walks and two errors led to an unearned run for the Defenders in the top of the first inning, without the aid of a hit.
Clarks Summit returned the favor in the bottom of the frame, with three walks and an error leading to two Golden Tornado runs, their first of the day, without the aid of a hit.
Geneva doubled its lead in the bottom of the second, with sophomore Zack Sackett delivering a two-run single that drove home freshmen Dylan Farnsworth and Brandon Streb.
Conover settled down after the first inning. He struck out eight batters over the next five innings, keeping the Defenders from ever putting together a rally.
Geneva put the game away with three more runs in the bottom of the fourth. Sophomore Eric Gonzalez opened the inning with a single, followed by a walk by Sackett. Gonzalez would steal third and then steal home on a double steal with Sackett, and later in the inning freshman Jacob McFarland drove home two more with an RBI-single, increasing the Geneva lead to 7-1.
The Golden Tornadoes added three more runs in the bottom of the fifth, helped by a key two-out error. Freshman Aaron Babu had an RBI-double in the inning. Geneva added one more run in the sixth on another Defender error to close out the scoring.
Conover earned the win, pitching six innings while giving up just two hits and one unearned run, while striking out eight.
Sackett led the offense, reaching base all four times on two singles and two walks. He scored three runs, stole three bases and drove in two runners. Freshman Ashton Wilson added two hits. The Golden Tornadoes finished with nine stolen bases.
Geneva will return to action tomorrow with a single game at La Roche, beginning at 4:30 p.m.
Through purposeful learning in a community reflecting the full spectrum of God's kingdom, a Geneva College experience inspires students to discover a faith-life calling in service to God and neighbor. Offering 195+ traditional undergraduate majors and programs, fully online Adult Degree Programs and high-demand graduate degrees, Geneva's programs are recognized for their high quality and affordability. Geneva was founded and is governed by the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America (RPCNA) and is a founding member of both the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) and the International Association for Christian Education (IACE).
