HIRAM, Ohio – The Geneva baseball team used the long ball to earn a win in game one of their doubleheader with Hiram on Saturday, defeating the Terriers 7-3 before losing game two 15-6. Senior Kirk Bearjar had an incredible day for the Golden Tornadoes, going 7-for-9 at the plate with two home runs. The GTs' record now stands at 14-16, 6-12 in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play.

Geneva made Hiram's game one starter, Nicolas Chernitsky, work from the get-go, forcing him to throw 31 pitches in the opening inning. It wasn't until the second inning that the GTs got on the board though. With two men on base and one out, junior Michael Twigg launched a home run to left field to give the men a 3-0 lead, one they would not relinquish for the remainder of the game.

Senior Eric Keaton was named the game one starter for the Golden Tornadoes, and he pitched well to open the contest, giving up just two hits through the first five innings. Hiram did plate one runner in the fourth inning after a couple of wild pitches but could not do much offensively against Keaton outside of that.

The GTs struck again in the sixth inning, with sophomore Colin McCrone putting a ball in play to bring in sophomore James Zugai from second base. Unfortunately, Hiram scored twice in the bottom of the frame to pull within one run.

Despite the Terrier's pressure, Geneva did not fold. Senior Kirk Bearjar came up big late in the game, sending a two-run bomb to centerfield in the top of the seventh inning to bump the Golden Tornadoes' advantage back up to three runs. Bearjar slammed another homer in the ninth inning to extend Geneva's lead even more, and junior Kaden Peeples pitched well in relief, holding Hiram scoreless through the final three inninings to seal the 7-3 victory for the men.

Keaton earned the win, his third of the season, after allowing three runs through 6.0 innings and striking out three. Peeples got the save after his 3.0 scoreless innings, his fifth of the year. Bearjar went an impressive 3-for-5 at the plate with two home runs, three RBIs and two runs scored, while Twigg also registered three RBIs on his home run. Zugai and junior Jason Triscila each contributed multiple hits in the win as well.

Geneva gained a 1-0 edge in the first inning of game two thanks to an RBI single by Zugai, but that lead did not last long. Hiram tagged the GTs for eight runs in the bottom of the second inning to grab a sizeable lead, which they would end up holding for the rest of the contest.

Zugai recorded another RBI-single in the third inning to get one back for the men, and then back-to-back singles by Twigg and Triscila in the next frame drove in two more runs to pull Geneva within four. The Terriers scored twice more in the bottom of the frame to extend their lead, however, and despite two more RBI-hits by sophomore Marco Chenet and Bearjar, Geneva did not threaten the rest of the way, losing 15-6.

Bearjar completed his incredible day with a 4-for-4 effort in game two, knocking two doubles and recording another RBI. Zugai also finished with an excellent performance, going 4-for-4 as well in the second game with two RBIs. Twigg, Triscila, and Chenet all contributed RBIs of their own in the loss.

The Golden Tornadoes are back in action this Saturday, April 25 as they host Waynesburg University in what will be Geneva's Senior Day doubleheader. Rain is currently in the forecast for that day, but if the games are played as scheduled they will begin at 1:00 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).