STEUBENVILLE, Ohio – Geneva's baseball team achieved its first two Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) victories today in its doubleheader sweep of the Franciscan Barons. A ninth-inning rally in game one gave the men an exciting 6-5 win early in the afternoon, and an impressive performance at the plate led to a big 12-6 win in game two. The GT's record improves to 10-6 overall, 2-2 in the PAC, while Franciscan remains at the bottom of the conference with a 2-11 overall record, 0-4 in PAC play.
The Golden Tornadoes got things started in the second inning of game one. With two outs and men on first and second, sophomore Aaron Babu poked a hit into right centerfield where it dropped between three Fransciscan fielders. Both runners scored, and the GTs went up 2-0 early.
Each team traded runs in the third inning, but the score would remain 3-1 until the bottom half of the eighth inning when the Barons' bats began to get hot and Franciscan scored four runs en route to taking a 5-3 lead. Things looked bleak for Geneva, but the GTs responded well. Sophomore Kirk Bearjar opened the top half of the ninth inning with a home run to left field, pulling the men within one run. After senior David Toruno doubled a couple of batters later, Babu singled him home, evening the score. Finally, a double from freshman Josh Hull proved to be the icing on the cake for the Golden Tornadoes as Babu scored from first to take the lead. Franciscan only put one man on base in the bottom of the ninth, and Geneva left the field with a 6-5 win in game one.
Junior Caleb Graft pitched a solid 7.0 innings in his start, allowing three runs on five hits and striking out four. However, it was junior Zach Lemansky that got the win in game one, pitching 2.0 innings of relief while allowing two runs and striking out two. Lemansky's record is boosted to 3-0 with the win.
Geneva got contributions from a few different players offensively in game one, with Babu's three RBIs leading the way. Bearjar went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and two runs scored, and Hull was also credited with an RBI.
The GTs came out hot again to start game two, scoring twice in the first inning. An RBI-triple from junior Zack Sackett plated the first run, and a single from Lemansky immediately afterward drove Sackett home for the second one.
Sackett's next at-bat came in the third inning, where he blasted another triple into right field. An error by Franciscan on the very next play allowed Sackett to score his second run of the day, pushing Geneva's lead to 3-0.
Franciscan battled back to make it a one-run game heading into the fifth inning, but Geneva's first four batters reached base safely to put the men in control again. After two singles and a walk to open the inning, Bearjar added onto his big day at the plate by smashing a double into left-center field. Two runs scored on the play, but that's where the Golden Tornadoes would stay for the remainder of the frame.
The men didn't stop there, however. The sixth inning proved to be a big one, with Sackett picking up an RBI-single and Bearjar following him up just two batters later with a three-run homer, his second out-of-the-park bomb of the doubleheader. The Barons did their best to stay in the game, plating three runs in the bottom half of the inning, but Geneva punched right back in the top of the seventh with a two-RBI single off senior Tim Hermansen's bat. That put the score at 12-6 in favor of the Golden Tornadoes, and that was where it would remain for the rest of the ballgame.
Sophomore Ryan Conover was credited with the win after pitching 5.2 innings and allowing six runs, five earned, on 10 hits. He also recorded 5 strikeouts. Freshman Dylan Rowe pitched a scoreless 3.1 innings of relief, striking out three and walking one.
Bearjar led the way at the plate with five total RBIs and another home run. Sackett went 5-for-5 with two triples, two RBIs, and four runs scored. Hermansen had a 3-for-4 day with two RBIs and three runs scored, and Lemansky finished off the powerful hitting with two more RBIs and a double.
The GTs are at home for their next four games. A doubleheader against Washington & Jefferson tomorrow afternoon begins at 12:00 pm, and it won't be until next Wednesday that the men play again when they face off against Chatham in another doubleheader.
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).
