Laker Comeback Comes Up Short at Niagara

SANBORN, NY -- The Finger Lakes Baseball team was swept by Niagara County Community College on Saturday by the scores of 14-6 and 8-7. 

The Lakers now stand at 5-7 in Region III West and are 12-16 on the season. The Thunderwolves stand atop the standings with an 8-0 regional record. The two teams will face each other again on Sunday in Canandaigua. The doubleheader will start at 1pm.

Mark Davis had three hits, including a double and home run, for the Lakers in Game 1. Davis also drove in three runs. Caden Giroux and Ryan Juergens each added multi-hit games as well. 

Giroux was the lone Lakers with multiple hits in Game 2. He also drove in a pair of runs. Jon Warner and J.T. Angora doubled in the game. Max Franzone drove in two runs as well for Finger Lakes.

Niagara got out to a fast start against the Lakers in Game 1. They led 10-0 following three innings of play. The Lakers would get on the board in the fourth as Ryan Juergens led off the inning with a single. He scored when Mark Davis hit his second home run of the season. A pair of Lakers walked and Braxton Wilson reached on an infield single. The throw got away to score Cam Heasley. J.T. Angora scored later in the inning on a single by Caden Giroux to make it 10-4. Niagara answered with three runs of their own in the bottom of the inning. The Lakers were able to add single runs in the fifth and sixth, but it was not enough as Niagara would take the opening game 14-6.

The Thunderwolves got out to a 4-0 lead in Game 2. Finger Lakes was able to convert a leadoff double by Angora in the third into a run, but the offense would be held there. The Lakers trailed 7-1 going into the top of the seventh. Mark Davis led the innign off with a bunt single and stole second. Angora walked as did pinch-hitter Matt Weinberg to load the bases. Max Franzone walked to force in a run, making it 7-2. Giroux singled home Angora and pinch-runner Braxton Wilson to make it 7-4, still with no outs. Jon Warner doubled to center to score Franzone and Ryan Juergens walked to once again load the bases. Cole Tracy got hit the first pitch of his at bat to force in another run, making it 7-6. Danny Goodbread came to the plate with the bases loaded, no outs, and down by one run. He hit a sacrifice fly to center. The ball was dropped, Tracy was forced out at second, but Warner scored to tie the game at 7-7. Niagara would get a strikeout and pick a runner off to end the inning, but the comeback was complete as the game went to the bottom of the seventh tied at 7-7. The bottom of the inning would last only three batters, however, as Niagara reached on an error, bunted him over, and scored on a single for the 8-7 walkoff victory.