LEWIS CENTER, Ohio – Despite the temperature dipping back down into the 40s, the Geneva baseball team started off their season Saturday afternoon, taking on Ohio Wesleyan in a doubleheader. The Battling Bishops stole away game one late via one rough inning for the GTs, but the men responded with a decisive victory in game two. Their record now stands at 1-1 after the opening weekend of play.

Junior Dylan Rowe got the start for the Golden Tornadoes, pitching the first two innings of what would end up being a bullpen game for head coach Alan Sumner, who wanted to get a number of pitchers onto the mound. Rowe, senior Jake McFarland, and sophomore Jack Barrett combined to allow just one unearned run through the first six innings. The Bishops pitching was solid as well, keeping things close, but after sophomore Simon Wehr doubled in two runs for Geneva in the fifth, the GTs were ahead 2-1.

The men struck again in the seventh inning. Junior Jonathan Dysinger launched a double to left field, and a single from Wehr on the next at-bat put runners at the corners. The Golden Tornadoes attempted a double steal, allowing Dysinger to come home on the throw down to second base, and although Wehr was thrown out junior Michael Twigg hit a solo home run to put Geneva ahead 4-1.

Things went awry for the GTs in the bottom of the seventh. Two of the first three Battling Bishops struck out, but with two outs and a man on second the game unraveled. Each of the next six batters walked or singled, bringing in five runs total and giving OWU a 6-4 lead that it would not relinquish.

Wehr was the highlight at the plate for the GTs in game one, going 3-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Twigg was the only other Tornado with multiple hits, going 2-for-4 with a home run and an RBI.

Game two followed a much different script, with the Golden Tornadoes scoring first in the opening frame. Twigg walked to start the inning and eventually made it to third via a stolen base and a tag-up. Senior Kirk Bearjar singled him in, and just like that the men led 1-0.

That lead did not last long, however, as the Bishops scored twice in both the second and third innings. Sophomore Marco Chenet drove in freshman Luke Troxell on an RBI-single in the top of the third, but after three innings the men found themselves trailing 4-2.

Momentum started swinging in Geneva's favor in the sixth inning. Chenet walked to begin the frame, and consecutive singles from Bearjar and junior Jason Triscila loaded up the bases. Sophomore James Zugai promptly crushed a grand slam to left field, giving the GTs the lead, and after sophomore CJ Jackson scored an unearned run before the end of the inning Geneva had a 7-4 advantage.

The men put together another big inning in the sixth, with Bearjar starting things off with a sacrifice fly that scored Troxell. Triscila doubled down the left field line in the next at-bat,  and he came home on a single by sophomore Colin McCrone just a few moments later. Sophomore Mason Smith ripped a two-RBI single to left that put Geneva ahead 11-4, and that was where the score remained the rest of the way as Geneva secured the win.

Junior Kaden Peeples earned the win for the GTs, pitching a scoreless inning of relief. He combined with sophomore Mikey Crandall and senior Ethan Blair to keep the Battling Bishops off the scorecard in the final four innings. Bearjar had an impressive game at the plate, going 4-for-4 with a double and two RBIs. Triscila and Jackson each contributed multiple hits as well in the win, while Zugai finished with a team-high four RBIs on his grand slam.

The men are off for the next nine days, with their next game scheduled for Tuesday, March 3. They will host La Roche in their home opener at 4:00 p.m. that 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).