Geneva blasts 6 HRs vs. Batavia

Matt Williams did a little bit of everything Tuesday afternoon.

And just about everything that Williams did could be spliced into a highlight film.

The versatile junior belted 3 solo home runs on successive at-bats in the third, fifth and sixth innings, then came in to pitch and help record the final 2 outs of the game as Geneva (16-7, 13-5) hung on for a 9-7 Upstate Eight Conference River Division baseball victory over visiting Batavia (9-15, 6-11).

Williams, who now has 9 home runs for the season, was an equal-opportunity long ball hitter, clearing the fence in left, center and right.

“I’m seeing the ball well and just trusting my hands — getting them through,” said Williams. “I’m not trying to do too much.”

In reality, Williams was a bit much for the Bulldogs to handle. His third-inning home run helped the Vikings begin to forget about a nightmarish top half of the frame that saw Batavia score 4 runs with the benefit of just 1 base hit.

In the fifth, he ignited a 3-run rally with a leadoff home run, and his third home run of the game helped provide some much-needed insurance during a 4-run sixth.

“We tell the kids all the time to find a way to contribute and find a way to help the team win,” said Vikings coach Matt Hahn. “He came through in many ways today.”

Chris Hipchen and Brett Willman added solo home runs in the sixth, as the Vikings tied a team record with 6 home runs (all solos).

Despite carrying a seemingly comfortable 9-4 lead into the seventh, the Vikings were forced to sweat. Jay Clark’s RBI single cut the margin to 9-6 before Williams was called upon with runners on first and third and 1 out.

The right-hander then showed his athleticism when he ranged to his right to glove a slow roller off the bat of Steve Durham and fired an all-in-one-motion throw to second baseman Ryan Millan for the second out.

“That play he made off the mound — ‘man,’” said Hahn. “I don’t know too many high school players who could have made that play. He made a perfect throw to get him.”

Batavia coach Matt Holm felt that the throw pulled Millan off the bag at second.

“He was a full step off the bag,” said Holm. “That’s a rally-ender right there.”

Willman’s first of 2 home runs gave the Vikings a 1-0 lead in the second before their defense imploded during Batavia’s 4-run third off starting pitcher Jordon Touro (4-1).

Sam Burnoski’s surprise 2-strike bunt drove in Joe Sortino to put the Bulldogs on top 2-1 before Clark’s opposite-field drive to left was misplayed into a 2-base error, allowing 2 more runs to score.

“That third inning was an absolute disaster to say the least,” said Hahn. “They got four runs and only one ball left the infield.”

But Touro didn’t let the lack of support bother him, as the sophomore held the Bulldogs scoreless over the next 3 innings.

“That third inning when everything fell apart, nothing affected him,” said Hahn, “even when his was one of those errors. He did a great job today.”

Michael Rutas (4-3) suffered the loss for the Bulldogs.

“He was sick yesterday,” Holm said of his senior ace. “You could tell he was still not 100 percent in the first inning. I thought he battled well for being sick yesterday.”