FORT MYERS, Fla. – On the penultimate day of their spring break trip to Florida, the Geneva College baseball team split the two games they played, defeating Wisconsin Lutheran 6-5 before falling to Alfred State 13-6.  Pitching was the name of the game in the first contest, while the Golden Tornadoes' bats couldn't keep up with the Pioneers in game two. Geneva's record now stands at 7-3 following the split.

The GTs were aggressive at the plate from the start, receiving three straight singles from juniors Michael Twigg and Bradley McGuire and sophomore Marco Chenet to open the game. Those hits loaded up the bases, allowing senior Kirk Bearjar and freshman Logan Middendorf to record RBIs in the next two plate appearances, and Geneva led 2-0 after just one inning.

Senior Ryan Conover got the nod in game one and was efficient on the mound early on, holding Wisconsin Lutheran to just one hit through the first three innings. In the top of the third, sophomore CJ Jackson singled home McGuire, making the score 3-0 Geneva, but the Warriors finally got on the board in the next inning, pulling within a run on a two-RBI base hit.

The Golden Tornadoes took a while to strike back, but they finally did so in the sixth inning with junior Jonathan Dysinger blasting a long double to left field that scored sophomore Simon Wehr from second base. Twigg brought in Dysinger with an RBI-hit of his own before coming in to score on a wild pitch later in the inning, pushing Geneva's lead to 6-2.

Wisconsin Lutheran scored three runs in the seventh inning, pulling back within one score of the GTs. Junior Kaden Peeples checked in in the next frame and promptly shut them down, striking out the side in the eighth inning before registering two more punchouts in the ninth to earn the save.

Conover was the winning pitcher, tossing 5.1 innings of two-run baseball while striking out three and walking just one. Peeples took the save, striking out five batters in just 2.0 innings. Dysinger went 3-for-4 on the day with a double and an RBI, while McGuire was an efficient 3-for-5 at the plate. Twigg was the only other Geneva player with multiple hits in the win.

The men struggled offensively to start game two, and despite sophomore starter Jack Barrett allowing just one run through the first four frames, Geneva trailed 1-0 midway through the game. Alfred State finally struck for six runs in the tops of both the fifth and sixth innings, opening up a big lead that they would not relinquish.

Geneva scored one run in the bottom of the sixth and struck for three more in the seventh. A sacrifice fly by Chenet scored freshman Jacob Sexton, and after Bearjar reached on a single, sophomore Mason Smith sent a home run over the left field fence to bring the men to four runs total. They scored twice more in the final inning, eventually falling 13-6.

Bearjar was the main producer of offense in game two, going 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI. Smith, Chenet, and junior Hank Fedullo each had two hits, with Smith gaining two RBIs on his home run. Junior Tyler Lemansky pitched well in relief, throwing for 3.2 innings and two strikeouts without allowing an earned run.

Saturday, March 14 marks Geneva's final day in Florida. The Golden Tornadoes will wrap up their time in Fort Myers with a doubleheader against Skidmore, with the first game scheduled for 9:00 a.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).