HIT PARADE PUSHES PIONEERS PAST RED WINGS

The Pioneers got back on the win column at home against the Geneva Red Wings last night with a 10-4 victory.

Hunter Kendall (Houghton) had a solid five inning start, surrendering just two runs. Ziv Gar (Molloy) came out for one inning from the bullpen before a new face was brought into the game.

Joe Olsavsky (John Carroll) made his mound debut for the Pioneers, and shut down the Red Wings with three innings of hitless ball with five strikeouts.

Down 4-2 in the seventh, the Pioneers bats came alive, scoring six to take the lead. The biggest contribution came from Bobby Marsh (Penn State) who had a two RBI double (single, advanced to second off throw in) to initially put the Pios up 5-2. 

Marsh said that Coach Andrew Drum was one of the reasons that the offense came alive late, as he said,

“Earlier on in the game, we weren’t putting together the best at-bats, didn’t have the best approaches. But then, around like the fifth and sixth inning, when Coach Drum called us in and said ‘we got to wake up,’ is when our bats got a lot stronger…that seventh inning, everyone had the right at-bat. Everything clicked, which is huge. This is our best hitting game by far.”

Olsavsky was humble in revealing his secret to success as he said,

“Just, hard work. Working with the boys, you know, every day, in and out. Coming here early, going into the weight room. Just always working, trying to get better.”

Olsavsky also said that he expects to appear for the Pioneers again, and that even though he’ll likely come from the bullpen, he could try to make a full start work if he was asked to.

The loss drops the Red Wings to 3-6, while the Pios move to 6th in the division, with a 4-7 record.

Today, they travel to Jamestown to face the Tarp Skunks for the fourth time this season.

- Taylor Stolworthy