April 25, 2016
Wolverines edged by late Geneva rally
GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College baseball team led for the majority of the game, but an Andy Santana three-run home run in the top of the ninth would give Geneva their first lead and the win as the Wolverines fell to the Golden Tornadoes 9-8 in Presidents' Athletic Conference action on Monday afternoon at R. Jack Behringer Field.
Grove City (22-11, 14-6 PAC) led 6-0 through six innings, keyed by a five-run fifth. Junior catcher Andy Fritz (Saxonburg, Pa./Knoch) doubled junior first baseman Matt Waugaman (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) home while freshman left fielder Shane Hammel (Fort Collins, Colo./Fossil Ridge) and junior shortstop David Laylock (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pine Richland) each added two-run singles in the frame.
Geneva scored four runs off of freshman John Bini (Staten Island, Pa./Xaverian) in the top of the seventh and then scored a pair of runs off of sophomore Drew Landis (Red Lion, Pa./Red Lion) in the top of the eighth to even the score. The Wolverines would answer right back, however, as Waugaman drove in freshman third baseman Micah Burke (Gilbert, Ariz./E.V.A.C.) with an RBI-double to center field and later moved to third and came home to score on a pair of wild pitches to give Grove City an 8-6 lead through eight.
In the top of the ninth, Landis issued a pair of one-out walks and fell behind in the count on Santana before giving up the three-run homer to left, which gave Geneva a 9-8 lead.
Landis took the loss in relief for the Wolverines, allowing four runs on two hits and three walks over two innings. Bini failed to earn a decision for the first time in his rookie season, a five runs on eight hits over seven innings of action while striking out five, walking one and hitting a pair of batters.
Fritz led the Wolverine offense by going 3 for 3 with a pair of doubles and an RBI while Waugaman was 2 for 5 with a pair of doubles, three runs scored and an RBI. Hammel was 2 for 5 with a pair of RBIs while junior second baseman Brandon Gresh (Pittsburgh, Pa./Keystone Oaks) also recorded a pair of hits.
Grove City returns to action Wednesday, hosting Bethany in a nine-inning conference game at 3 p.m.
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