WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Geneva College baseball team opened its season on a cold and windy day at Gallaudet on Saturday afternoon, but despite outhitting the Bison by ten between the two games, the Golden Tornadoes dropped the doubleheader by scores of 10-9 and 7-5.
Geneva jumped ahead early in the first game, scoring five times. The first seven Golden Tornadoes reached base, helped by two errors and two hit batters. However, Gallaudet answered right back in the bottom of the inning with three runs off freshman starter Jacob McFarland.
The Geneva offense went quiet over the next several innings, and the Bison took the lead with a run in the second and four more in the third. Gallaudet added one more run in the bottom of the sixth, leaving Geneva staring at a 9-5 deficit heading into the final inning of the seven-inning affair.
However, the offense rallied, all with two outs. Junior Tim Hermansen singled, senior Adrian Tapia doubled home Hermansen, sophomore Eric Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, senior Alex Fee doubled, and then sophomore Connor O'Brien singled to drive home Gonzalez and Fee to pull the Golden Tornadoes level at 9-9.
Geneva couldn't complete the comeback, though. Gallaudet used a walk and a passed ball to help plate the winning run in the bottom of the eighth, 10-9.
Hermansen led the offense with three hits, while O'Brien and junior David Toruno each added two hits. Geneva outhit Gallaudet 11-6, but 13 walks from Golden Tornado pitchers proved too much to overcome.
Sophomore Zach Lemansky got the ball in the second game, and after retiring the first two Bison, two straight errors, followed by three walks and a single, put Geneva in an early 3-0 hole. Gallaudet added another two-out run in the second.
Geneva got on the board with single runs in the third and fourth inning, but the Bison responded with three runs in the bottom of the fourth to take a 7-2 lead. The Golden Tornadoes plated single runs in the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, but the comeback fell short, 7-5.
Hermansen, O'Brien, Toruno and sophomore Zack Sackett each had two hits for the Golden Tornadoes, who again outhit the Bison, this game by a 12-7 edge.
Geneva will play ten games next week in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, starting with a doubleheader on Monday against Lancaster Bible.
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).
