‘Cats Split Conference Series with Norwich on Holland Walk-off Dinger

‘Cats Split Conference Series with Norwich on Holland Walk-off Dinger

WORCESTER, Mass – After being swept by Johnson & Wales last Saturday night, the AMCATS had a quick turnaround as they hosted Norwich University on Sunday afternoon in another conference double header at Clark University. After being shocked by the winless Cadets in game one, 8-5, the AMCATS got revenge in game two, winning the game by way of some bottom of the seventh heroics, 2-1.

Game 1

For the AMCATS, right fielder Kino Gray had a three-for-four game and scored a run. Mike Tourony had a multi-hit game, going two-for-four and driving in a run. Freshman Jason Shell and Nick Genatossio each had a double in the game, and each scored a run. Catcher Greg Gehring and shortstop Jake Crevier scored the other run for the hosts.  Senior Tanner Jakola drove in two runs in the game in a one-for-three effort.

The Cadets had 12 hits in the game with multi-hit games from Andrew Fisher, who had three hits in the game and was a homerun short of the cycle, Kevin Lynch, Jacob Barlow, and Kike Lesco who each had two hits in the game. For Barlow, one of his two was a homerun which drove him and another run in. Starting pitcher Jake Ryan pitched 5.0 innings, allowing nine hits, five runs, all earned. He walked four and struck out four AMCATS.

The winless Cadets opened the scoring in the second inning when Fisher scored on an error. The AMCATS would answer in the bottom of the inning on a Jakola single to center field which scored Grantossio and Crevier, giving the AMCATS a 2-1 lead after two.

We had to wait until the fifth inning before either team would plate a run. The 'Cats would do just that in the bottom of the fifth, extending their lead to 5-1 on consecutive doubles by Shell and Genatossio, scoring Gray and Shell.

In the sixth inning it all seemed to go wrong for Anna Maria. The Cadets began the inning with a bunt single by Lynch who then stole second and scored on a triple by Fisher. Ed Gates then hit a ball to left which was misplayed for an error, bringing Fisher home from third. Anna Maria was able to get out of the inning but Norwich had cut the deficit to two runs.

Unable to score in the bottom of the sixth, the AMCATS had to hold on to a slim lead in the seventh. The Cadets again began the inning with a single, this time on a ball down the left field line. Barlow then came to the plate and hit a home run over the left field fence to tie the game at five. The would score three more runs in the inning and take an 8-5 lead in to the bottom of the seventh. Though the AMCATS were able to get a runner on base, they were unable to produce any runs, giving the Cadets their first victory of the season.

Game 2

Game two saw very little production for either team. The AMCATS only posted three hits in the game, one from Mike Tourony, one from Kino Gray and the most important one from Noah Holland. Holland's only hit was a home run in the bottom of the seventh inning which scored himself and Danny Grammel who had come in to the game to pinch run for Tourony. Starting pitcher Nick Genatossio pitched 5.0 innings, giving up just two hits and one run while striking out two. Senior Tanner Jakola pitched two innings in relief and earned the win. In his two innings he didn't allow a hit or a run, walking one hitter and striking out one as well.

Norwich only mustered up two hits in the game, one coming from Kevin Lynch, the other from Jake Godbee. Godbee drove in the only run for the Cadets which was scored by Andrew Fisher. Starting pitcher Luke Johanson pitched a solid 6.1 innings, allowing three hits and two runs. He struck out seven hitters and walked just one.

Unlike the first game, the second didn't get exciting until the fourth inning when the Cadets scored their lone run of the game when Godbee singled driving in a run.

Norwich would hold their 1-0 advantage until the seventh inning. Then, after a Toruony single and a pinch running appearance from Grammel, Holland hit a ball in to Worcester's night sky, his first career home run, walking off the win for the AMCATS. The win was the 10th of the season overall and the first in conference for Anna Maria.

The AMCATS are back on the field Thursday evening at 7pm against Newbury College in a non-conference matchup at New England Baseball Complex in Northborough, Mass.