March 6, 2009
CONTACT: Van Zanic
Sports Information Director
(724) 847-6886
PEACH STATE TREATS GENEVA TO SEASON OPENING SPLIT
Toccoa Falls, GA - Geneva College′s baseball team opened the 2009 campaign in the state of Georgia on Friday in the first of back to back doubleheaders against Toccoa Falls College. The Golden Tornadoes rallied for a 9-4 victory in game one before dropping a 3-1 decision in the night cap. The season opening doubleheader was the first of two games on a 12-game southern trip for Geneva College.
Game one opened with the Golden Tornadoes spotting Toccoa a four-run lead before rallying back. Matt Baer remained tough after a rocky start to hold on for the first victory of the season. Trailing 4-0 into the fourth inning, the Golden Tornadoes exploded for a five-run inning sparked by a two-run double off the bat of Justin Acosta. Tadd Eyster also knocked in a pair of runs in the five-run frame as the Golden Tornadoes took a lead they would never relinquish.
Derek Sumner, who broke Geneva′s single season record for strikeouts with 84 in 2008, suffered a hard luck loss in the night cap. Sumner yielded just five hits and three runs but did not get the offensive support he needed. Geneva′s lone offense came after an Eyster double and an RBI ground out by Phil Shallenberger in the fourth inning. A tying run in the fourth and two more tallies in the sixth inning proved to be the difference for Toccoa. Eyster was Geneva′s only player with more than one hit as the Golden Tornadoes were held to only four hits in the loss.
Geneva will face off against Toccoa in another doubleheader on Saturday before finishing their trip to Fort Pierce, Fla on Saturday night. The Golden Tornadoes begin their Florida portion of the schedule on Tuesday with a doubleheader against Northwestern, Mn.
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