BEAVER FALLS, Pa. – It was two different stories for Geneva's baseball team in each game of their doubleheader with Bethany College on Wednesday. The Golden Tornadoes won a high-scoring affair in game one, 13-10, before running out of pitching in game two and falling 19-0. The split makes Geneva's record 11-13 on the year, 2-10 in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC), while Bethany goes to 2-8 in the PAC, 7-15 overall.
Right-handed junior
Eric Keaton got the nod to start game one for the Golden Tornadoes, and despite being knocked for three runs in the first inning he managed to calm down as the game went on. The men gave him lots of run support in the bottom half of the inning, putting him in position for the win.
The first seven batters reached base for Geneva in the bottom of the first, with junior
Kirk Bearjar, senior
Zach Lemansky, sophomore
Bradley McGuire, and freshman
Marco Chenet all recording RBI-singles in that stretch to give the GTs a 5-3 advantage. Senior
Eric Gonzalez drove home McGuire for another Geneva run, and that was followed by a Bethany error that allowed Chenet to cross the plate. Finally, Gonzalez came around to score, and the men led 8-3 after just one inning.
Keaton pitched well for the next three frames, keeping the Bison off the board while the Golden Tornadoes scored three more runs. Chenet collected an RBI in the bottom of the second inning, followed by an RBI-double off the bat of Gonzalez. Bearjar sent home sophomore
Michael Twigg in the third inning, and the Golden Tornadoes were sitting pretty with an 11-3 lead after four.
The Bison did not give up, managing two runs in each of the next three innings. Heading into the bottom of the seventh, Geneva led by just two runs, but the GT bats came alive again at just the right time. Junior
Aaron Babu drove an RBI-single to left-centerfield, scoring Chenet, and then Bearjar walked with the bases loaded to put Geneva at 13 runs. Bethany did score once more before the game ended, but it wasn't enough, and Geneva took game one 13-10.
Chenet had a good game at the plate, hitting 2-for-4 with three RBIs and two runs scored. He was closely followed by Gonzalez, who also went 2-for-4, posting a double, two RBIs and a run. Bearjar also collected three RBIs. Keaton received the win in his start, striking out six in 5.0 innings. Freshman
Mikey Crandall came out of the bullpen to get the save, throwing 3.2 innings and allowing just one earned run, three total, on two hits.
Game two did not go as well for the GTs, as the Bison put up seven runs apiece in each of the first two innings. A combination of tired arms and injuries greatly trimmed down the number of available pitchers head coach
Alan Sumner had at his disposal before the game began, and the men wound up pitching many of their less-experienced players as a result. Geneva was unable to score, and Bethany finished out game two with a 19-0 victory.
The Golden Tornadoes continue their eight-game homestand on Saturday with a doubleheader against Thiel. Game one against the Tomcats is scheduled for 12:00 p.m., after Geneva honors its eight seniors on their Senior Day.
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).
