Lakers Open Regional Play with Broome Sweep
CANANDAIGUA -- The Finger Lakes Baseball team opened their regional schedule with a sweep of SUNY Broome Community College by the scores of 7-5 and 9-5.
With the win, Finger Lakes levels their record at 9-9. They also hold a 4-0 mark in the Mid-State Athletic Conference and 2-0 in Region III West. Broome starts their season with a 0-2 record. The same two teams will meet again on Thursday as the Lakers travel to Binghamton for a 2pm doubleheader.
Ryan Juergens and Caden Giroux each had a pair of hits in Game 1. Giroux tripled for the Lakers and Juergens drove in a run. Mark Davis had a two-run double. Ryan Landers (3-1) got the win on the mound. He went 6.1 innings, allowed only five hits and struck out five.
Alex Dent (1-2) went four strong innings in Game 2. The sophomore picked up his first collegiate victory while striking out 10 batters. Max Franzone helped provide the offense. He went 3-3 with a triple and four runs batted in for the Lakers. Danny Goodbread had a pair of hits, including a double, and James Angora provided a two-run double. AJ Lefebrve struck out four in the final three innings of play to earn the save.
The Lakers jumped out early in Game 1. Jon Warner walked to start the first inning and moved to second on a single by Giroux. Max Franzone singled them both in for the early 2-0 lead. Finger Lakes added a run in the third, but the Hornets would respond with a run of their own in the fifth inning to make it 3-1. Ryan Juergens led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and moved to second on an error. With two outs, Braxton Wilson was hit by the pitch bringing Davis to the plate. Mark Davis hit drove in Wilson and pinch runner Isaiah Merced with a double down the right field line to provide the Lakers some insurance runs. Davis scored when Warner reached base and Jon Warner scored on a triple by Caden Giroux. Broome would have a rally in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Lakers would win Game 1 by the score of 7-5.
Game 2 started in a very similar fashion as the Lakers would push two runs across in the first. Jon Warner once again led off with a walk. He scored on a triple to the centerfield fence by Max Franzone. Franzone scored on the play as the relay throw got past the third baseman for the early 2-0 lead. Finger Lakes added two more in the third. Giroux led off with a double for Finger Lakes. He scored on a Franzone single. Later in the inning, Franzone was brought home on a Cam Heasley sacrifice fly, making it 4-0. Broome answered with three runs in the top of the fourth. The continued to threaten in the inning, but Alex Dent left two men stranded with an inning-ending strikeout. Finger Lakes grew their lead in the fourth, thanks to a two-run single by Franzone, and in the fifth inning. James Angora hit a two-run double in the fifth inning and scored on a Mark Davis sacrifice fly to make the score 9-3. Broome added a pair of runs in the seventh, but it was not enough as the Lakers went on to win Game 2 and sweep the doubleheader 9-5.