Baseball: Pitching, power key Batavia’s win over Geneva

Solid starting pitching and the long ball is a proven formula for baseball success. Batavia demonstrated that again Friday while downing Geneva 6-1 in DuKane Conference play at Batavia.

Justin Enger tossed a complete game 6-hitter while Luke Stevenson and Liam Darre went deep for the Bulldogs (7-14, 4-6).

Enger worked out of trouble early, allowing two baserunners in each of the first two innings but escaping unscathed. In the third, the Vikings loaded the bases with no outs on a double by Nelson Wendell, a bunt single by Miles Dibble and a walk to Noah Hallahan. Nick Price’s sacrifice fly brought in a run but Enger got the final two outs with no further damage.

Meanwhile, Vikings starter Mason Bruesch came out on fire, retiring the first six hitters with 4 strikeouts. Nolan Zimberoff beat out an infield hit to open the third but was erased when Bruesch fielded Stevenson’s soft liner and doubled off Zimberoff. But the Bulldogs tied the game on 2 walks and Darre’s RBI single.

Bruesch got two quick outs in the fourth. But Brennon Zeng was hit with a pitch and Zimberoff singled again. Stevenson turned on an inside pitch and drove it inside the left-field foul pole.

Enger settled down after the third, permitting just 3 baserunners the rest of the way. Bruesch’s day was finished after he walked Brandon Oke leading off the fifth. Darre greeted the new pitcher with a blast over the “Battlin’ Bulldogs” sign in right field.

Enger said the long balls energized the whole team.

“They’re huge,” he said. “You’re going hype in the dugout. Those are always big, not only for the game, but for everybody to get hyped in the dugout.”

Enger struck out only 3 but trusted his fielders to make the plays. And they came through, playing errorless ball for the first time this year.

Wendell and Dibble finished with 2 hits apiece for Geneva (17-6, 7-3). The teams play again Saturday morning at 10.

The homer was Darre’s third of the week, after he delivered two in one inning on Tuesday.

“I didn’t think any balls were going out today,” said Batavia coach Alex Beckmann. “When [Darre] puts the barrel to it, good things happen.”

“[Enger] kept the pitch count down, got a couple of first-pitch outs,” said Beckmann. “It was a good day for him to throw with a contact pitcher with the wind blowing in. He hit spots, he kept them off-balance and did a great job.”