FORT MYERS, Fla. – The outfield fence was not much of a barrier for the Geneva College baseball program on Wednesday afternoon, with the Golden Tornadoes clearing it six different times in their doubleheader sweep of Baruch down in Fort Myers. Those six home runs all came in a 23-17 slugfest in game two, which followed an 11-4 victory for the GTs in game one. Geneva improves to 6-2 overall following the sweep.

Junior Eric Keaton got the start on the mound in game one and moved through the first three innings with ease, not allowing a runner to get past second base during that span. The Golden Tornadoes' offense was quiet until the bottom of the third, when the bats suddenly sprung to life.

Sophomore Simon Wehr began the inning with a leadoff double, and after a Geneva walk and a Baruch error the men had the bases loaded with nobody out. A hit batsmen allowed the GTs to push across one run, and then a single from junior Bradley McGuire scored one more. Sophomore Marco Chenet doubled in the next at-bat, plating juniors Michael Twigg and Jonathan Dysinger, and then he came home to score on an RBI-single from freshman Logan Middendorf. Sophomore CJ Jackson and junior Hank Fedullo each had RBI-singles later in the inning with a Bearcat error sandwiched in between, which gave the men 10 runs in the third inning alone.

Geneva tacked on one more run in the fourth frame, turning two hit-by-pitches into a score thanks to an RBI-base hit from Wehr. Juniors Caleb Cox and Cayden Cribbs came out of the bullpen to keep Baruch scoreless up until the final inning, when the Bearcats plated four runs to narrow the final score to 11-4.

Keaton pitched 4.0 innings of scoreless baseball to earn the win, striking out five batters and scattering four hits. Cox and Cribbs were solid in relief, each pitching a run-free inning. Chenet and Wehr were the top performers at the plate, each going 2-for-3, with Chenet finishing with a double and two RBIs and Wehr recording an RBI as well. McGuire went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Twigg and Fedullo each secured two RBIs in the win.

Game two was an offensive affair right from the beginning. The men came out swinging in the first inning, with McGuire doubling home Twigg on the second plate appearance of the game. Later in the inning, sophomore James Zugai ripped a two-RBI single through the left side, and sophomore Mason Smith followed that up with an RBI-single of his own. Junior Noah Michal recorded an RBI to complete the scoring for the inning, and the GTs were up 5-0 after one.

Freshman Dakota Dick received the start in game two and kept Baruch scoreless in the bottom of the first. Twigg crossed home plate on another double, this time from Chenet, in the top of the second, and then Chenet eventually came around to score later in the frame on a sacrifice fly from junior Kirk Bearjar, giving Geneva a seven-run advantage.

Baruch scored twice in the bottom of the inning to cut into the gap, but the Golden Tornadoes struck right back in the third. Zugai opened the frame with a solo home run, and Twigg singled home Smith a few batters later. He scored once again thanks to another double from Chenet, and Geneva led 11-2.

The Bearcats continued to score runs, but so did the GTs' offense. A single and a double by Smith and Michal in the fourth inning each plated runs, and then a massive three-run homer by McGuire put the men ahead 16-6. Smith and Twigg each homered in the next two innings, and then Zugai smoked another home run early in the seventh inning to get the Golden Tornadoes across the 20-run barrier. Michal launched a home run of his own later in the inning, and after an RBI-triple from Twigg and an RBI-single from freshman Luke Troxell, Geneva came away with a 23-17 victory.

In total Twigg, McGuire, Zugai (two), Smith, and Michal all hit home runs in game two. Zugai finished 3-for-4 with five RBIs and four runs scored, and Smith went an impressive 4-for-5 with three RBIs. Twigg scored an incredible six runs in the victory, and McGuire, Chenet, and Michal all had multiple hits and RBIs as well. Middendorf earned the victory on the mound after entering the game in relief.

Geneva's victory in game two marks the first time since 2016 that the Golden Tornadoes have scored at least 23 runs in a game.

The men have an off day tomorrow before returning to play on Friday, March 13. They will take on Wisconsin Lutheran at 9:00 a.m. that day before playing Alfred State at 12:00 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).