Batavia stuns Geneva with 4-run 7th inning rally

Brooke Nelson didn't feel too good about her first three at-bats. Good thing for Batavia she got one more.

The bottom of Batavia's lineup keyed a seventh-inning rally, setting the stage for Nelson to smash a 2-run double to right that gave the Bulldogs a 5-4 come-from-behind win over Geneva Tuesday at Batavia.

Geneva (15-15, 6-5) led from the third inning on, and with Kristyn Ruitenberg allowing just 3 hits through 6 innings the Vikings looked well on their way to a second straight win over the Bulldogs.

That changed in a hurry with Batavia's 4-run rally in the seventh to erase Geneva's 4-1 lead. Allyssa Bleidorn and Christine Lynam singled before No. 9 hitter Sami Villarreal coaxed a walk.

Two runs came in when Geneva threw away Meghan Fabian's squibber, making it 4-3 and putting runners at second and third. Nelson drove both in when she went with Ruitenberg's 0-1 outside pitch and took it to right field.

"I was really nervous because my first two at-bats weren't so great," Nelson said. "My coach kept telling me you can do this."

That coach was assistant Ashley Szymski as Batavia (15-16, 7-4) played its third game without coach Leon Pedraza. The Bulldogs swept a doubleheader Saturday from Oswego.

Szymski took over for Pedraza, who met with the Batavia school board Tuesday night about his future as coach.

"We just kind of block it all out and when we are on the field we are on the field," Nelson said of the coaching change.

Szymski's sister Gretchen joined Ashley coaching the team. This is Ashley Szymski's first year at Batavia after 10 years as an assistant on the lower levels at Neuqua Valley.

"It was awesome," Szymski said of Batavia's comeback. "I cannot express how great this feels. And they did it themselves. They stayed in it the whole time, they didn't give up. That's what a team does. They backed each other up."

Ruitenberg dominated Batavia early, striking out the side in the first on 13 pitches. Geneva staked her to a 1-0 lead in the third. Taylor Medernach started the rally with an infield single and scored on Bridget Weitzel's ground out.

Geneva, who beat Batavia 4-2 in the first meeting last month, stretched its lead to 4-0 with three runs in the fourth. After blasting a pair of home runs Saturday, Geneva senior Stacey Cladis stayed hot by connecting on a 2-run home run well over the 189-foot sign in left field. Elana Wright and Julie Orwig both doubled in the inning and scored.

That was all winning pitcher Katie Neubauer allowed. She pitched a complete game, allowing 6 hits and just 1 walk while striking out three.

"Even though she gave up a home run she came right back," Szymski said. "There's not more you can ask of your pitcher."

Geneva tried to extend its lead only to be foiled by Batavia's defense. The best catch came from right fielder Avery Vivian to end the sixth inning, an over-the-shoulder grab while running into the right field fence to rob Medernach of an extra-base hit.

"I had confidence I could get this ball and back up my pitcher and do all I can," said Vivian, adding that her favorite drill in practice is making catches over her shoulder. "I just went all out for it."

In the seventh inning Geneva continued to hit the ball hard only to watch Villarreal snare a liner at second, then third baseman Christine Lynam end the inning with a 5-3 double play.

"I was thrilled with our at-bats the whole day," Geneva coach Greg Dierks said. "Even down the last two innings you look at the outs we made. We hit the ball well. You would like to keep adding on to our lead; I felt we did what we needed to do to add on."

Batavia scored its first run in the fifth. Vivian and Lynam singled, then Geneva again had trouble with a short, spinning infield squibber.

"They (Geneva) played well too but we came out with confidence we are going to take the game and we never gave up and we kept a positive attitude through the whole game," Vivian said.

"We could have been a little sharper in the last inning," Dierks said. "They got the ball in play. They had good at-bats. The bottom of the order came through to get it around to the top and Nelson hit a good ball."

It's not known how long Szymski will coach the team but she is pleased with how the team has played in their last three wins.

"It's very exciting to get an opportunity I have these last games," Szymski said. "Whatever happens I'm excited. I hope we can continue this momentum."