Geneva scores in seventh inning to knock off Yorkville
The Geneva Vikings picked up their second win and first on the road in the early season, 5-4 over the Yorkville Foxes, courtesy of late seventh inning hitting Thursday afternoon.
Geneva senior pitcher Seth Kisner went the distance on the mound, and Nate Stempowski doubled in Kollin Mickelsen with the go-ahead and eventual winning run in the top of the seventh.
After Yorkville (2-2) scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth to tie it 4-4 on Kam Yearsley’s second 2-run homer, Foxes coach Tom Cerven went to his bullpen for Preston Regnier to try and keep the game at 4-4.
A four-pitch walk drawn by Mickelsen got him on base, and his speed, combined with Stempowski’s second double, gave the Vikings the lead and put all the pressure on Yorkville to come through in the bottom of the seventh.
“Just go up to the plate and play ball,” Stempowski said. “Do what I do and attack the first pitch or a pitch that’s anywhere near for me and take my pitch and drive it.”
Staying relaxed and competitive, Kisner struck out the side in order for Geneva (2-0) to remain unbeaten.
Kisner gave up a 2-run home run to Yearsley in the first inning that also scored Daniel Rodriguez, but from there he retired 12 out of the next 13 Yorkville batters he faced. He got it done with four strikeouts and help from his defense along the way.
“He’s kind of one of those kids that’s super competitive. He’s always working to get better every pitch,” Geneva coach Brad Wendell said. “I think if he stays relaxed, he’ll be OK. He might give up one here or there. So just staying positive staying competitive. He’s got good stuff, and we trust him.”
Geneva answered right back after Yearsley’s homer. Senior Joseph Cosentino worked a four-pitch count and was awarded first in the top of the second inning. That brought up the six-hole hitter Roland Sorrentino, who tied the game with a 2-run shot to left, evening the score at 2-2.
While Kisner kept the Foxes’ offense quiet, Yorkville’s performance was the opposite. Senior pitcher Simon Skroch struggled, especially in the fourth inning, and his defense made three errors.
Two passed balls and a fielding error put Vikings runners on the corners with one out. Sorrentino picked up his third RBI of the game as his sacrifice fly drove in Stempowski from third to take a 3-2 lead.
Stempowski’s RBI double in the top of the sixth extended Geneva’s lead to 4-2.
Yearsley was called upon again at the bottom of the sixth to try and replicate his two-run homer in the first inning. After Rodriguez grounded out, Bodhi Harrison hustled out a ground ball hit to third base for an infield single. Yearsley followed by pulling a 1-1 pitch over the fence in left for a 2-run homer, tying the game at 4-4.
Cerven, whose team dropped its second straight game after a 2-0 start, wanted to see more offense from his team.
“We did a lot of guessing today,” Cerven said. “You gotta give credit where credit is due. The pitcher came out and threw really well. That curveball kept us off balance, and we never adjusted. We really didn’t get going outside a couple of swings from Kam. We have a week before our next game, so we’ll definitely make sure to put in some work.”