Softball: Geneseo comeback falls short in loss to Hornell

GENESEO — Geneseo junior pitcher Makenna Gagnier settled into a comfort zone after a rough first inning, but the early deficit was too much to overcome as the Blue Devils lost 6-3 to Hornell on Monday.

“She has been throwing strikes the last three or four games,” Geneseo manager Dave Pero said of Gagnier. “When she throws strikes good things happen. In that first inning they had a couple of bloop hits that we didn’t make plays on, and that was the difference.”

The first inning opened with Hornell loading the bases with one out on three straight singles. Raiders sophomore 3B Shae Green then drove in a run on a fielders choice, and sophomore outfielder Hayley Drake brought in two more with a double to take a 3-0 early lead.

The Blue Devils were able to get two on with two out in the bottom of the first, but were unable to bring any of them home.

Hornell was able to tack on two more runs by the bottom of the fifth, when Geneseo junior Gina Belfiore led off with a single to centerfield. Freshman Casey Vattimo then reached first on an uncaught third strike, then stole second. With runners on second and third, sophomore Sam Hammond brought them both home on a double to right field.

Down 6-2 in the seventh, Vattimo got on base again via hit-by-pitch. Freshman Macy Marlowe followed that up with a single. Hammond then hit a monster triple, easily driving in Vattimo. Marlowe was waved in to home as well but in a close play at the plate was ruled out. Senior Maggie Wheeler had a chance to continue the rally but grounded out to end the game.

“We put the ball in play and we hit the ball hard, but defensively they were solid,” Pero said. “They made a couple more plays thn us, and that’s what it comes down to.”

Geneseo (1-6) will host Pavilion on Tuesday.