Geneseo bounces Red Jacket in Semifinals

Livonia—In a matchup of last year’s Class C Sectional Final, top seeded Geneseo looked to repeat its success Tuesday night against Red Jacket. Early on it seemed as though that in fact their hopes would become a reality. Despite a late start to the game, which started nearly 40 minutes late after the previous game, another sectional contest between Kendall and Mynderse would run a little long.

This did not bother the Geneseo bats, nor did it bother starting pitcher for the Blue Devils, Sean Kelly. Kelly ran into a little trouble early allowing one run in the first inning, although it was unearned, getting out of a jam with runners on first and third. The “Murderer’s Row”-like lineup picked up the defense scoring eight first inning runs for the Blue Devils. The Blue Devils took advantage of poor defensive play from their opponents as the Indians committed several first-inning errors that allowed Geneseo to bat through their potent lineup, leading 8-1 after one frame.

Red Jacket would get a few runs back however, scoring four runs as they began to wear Kelly down. Kelly would earn a strikeout to end the long inning. The bottom of the second inning saw Geneseo add seven more runs on the board. By the end of the third inning the score stood at 15-5. Geneseo would bring Jameson Moran in relief for Kelly, as he would shut down the Indians in relief as has become a regular theme for the junior reliever.
The game however would be suspended Tuesday into Wednesday after lightning and thunder would cause a stoppage in play in the fourth inning. Tuesday’s affair lasted nearly two hours, however Geneseo needed just forty minutes Wednesday afternoon to pick up the victory.

“It was tough to get the guys up again today knowing we only needed nine outs to win with a ten-run lead.” Said head coach Nick Drollette after the win on Wednesday. “Our bats seemed to lack urgency but our defense was sound so that was important. We can address that in practice tomorrow to make sure that doesn’t happen on Friday.”

“The lack of intensity doesn’t bother me. It’s tough to get excited two days in a row given the circumstances.” Drollette continued.

When asked who would get the ball on the hill on Friday in the sectional final, Drollette responded that he has plenty of options.

The 15-5 victory over Red Jacket will send Geneseo to their fourth straight sectional final appearance, they have won the last two over Keshequa and Red Jacket respectively. Bolivar-Richburg will oppose Geneseo in the final to be played in Hornell at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night.