Geneva Has Pios Number, Wins 11-4
The Elmira Pioneers came in on the back of a win for the first time in almost two weeks, but once again struggled against Geneva pitching and more importantly hitting. The Pioneers had Noah Rubino, their ace of the early season, ready to go after not having pitched since June 12th in Mohawk Valley. The bullpen, which had struggled all season finally came through the night before allowing the Pios to clinch the victory in Watertown and the team came in hoping to make it a two game streak.
The first inning saw Geneva put the Pioneers down 1-2-3 before coming up in their own half of the inning and tallying a run against Rubino. Noah began the half inning getting a strike out on the dangerous Brainy Rojas before Noah Fisher would single and come around to score a few batters later. After this single run though Rubino found his stuff and got the Pioneers through the next three innings with 0's in the runs column. Unfortunately for the Pioneers they couldn't get any offense started through five either.
The fifth inning saw a flurry in the bottom half as the Red Wings once again pushed runs across increasing their lead to 4-0. Elmira responded in the top of the sixth, finally securing their first hit as Andrew Sexton singled to lead off the inning and then Jeff Mejia singled on a shot that drove in Sexton. Preston Moore was hit by a pitch and Mason Ruhlman singled to load the bases. Garrett Schultz hit a ground ball that resulted in a double play, but did score a run before Moore would come in on a past ball to bring the Pioneers back to within one, 4-3.
The bottom of the sixth saw more scoring power from Geneva as Harrison Treble doubled and then came around to score increasing their lead yet again on bullpen relief from Keegan Ernest. However, he got out of the inning and the Pios went back to work in the top of the seventh. Sexton and Mejia had back to back doubles to score Sexton again and Elmira was back to within one at the seventh inning stretch 5-4.
In the bottom half Matt Busher came into the game. Having struggled in his first couple appearances Busher had hopes of coming in and collecting a few quick outs and returning to the dugout and with a strikeout in his first batter faced it appeared poised to happen. The next two batters however doubled and then walked, but as Leo Wells came up Busher sent him down on strikes again. Harrison Treble was next up and after a wild pitch advanced the runners a quick single allowed both runners to cross the plate increasing the lead to 7-4. Thursel White struck out to end the half inning.
The eighth inning was a brick wall for the Pios putting up just a single before being sent back to the outfield and that would send Busher back to the hill. Matt gave up back to back singles and then back to back doubles to start off the eighth. After getting a strike out on the fifth batter of the inning, Busher walked the next batter and with five runs giving up in just one and a third Head Coach Matt Burch turned to Steven Rossi in the pen. Rossi tossed a wild pitch allowing the runners to advance and then allowed a sac fly before getting the final batter, Treble, to fly out to left. With a score of 11-4 hope was dim heading into the ninth.
The Pioneers couldn't get anything started against the closing pitch Max Barsamian and the Red Wings rolled to victory over the Pios. There is no time to rest however as Elmira goes right back to work today at 4:05 pm to take on the Newark Pilots. Get your tickets now 607-734-2690!