Herkimer baseball improves to 9-1 in Region III

Hudson, NY – The Generals travelled to Columbia-Greene CC on Thursday afternoon and won both games with the Twins. The day was gray and the wind was harsh, blowing in from left field. It was unlikely that any homers would be hit to left field, but the Generals found other ways to score. They swept the doubleheader by scores of 5-3 and 8-3.

Game One

Columbia-Greene controlled most of the first game and owned a 2-0 lead going into the seventh inning. Then the Herkimer bats came to life.

Ryan Watson (Whitesboro), Brandon Overstreet (Stuart, FL), and Dan Smith (Westmoreland) all led off the inning with singles to open up the seventh. Cody Newbigging (Listowel, Ont) drew a bases-loaded walk after a Chris Burns (Endicott) strikeout to close the score to 2-1.

Photo: Ryan Watson

Justin Stevener (New York Mills) hit a big two-RBI single to take a 3-2 lead. Brent Baker (Fort Plain) laid down a squeeze bunt to make it 4-2, then Hayden Caffey (Thrall, TX) added a sacrifice fly to put HCCC up 5-2.

The Twins loaded the bases in the home half of the seventh, and they scored a run on a ground-ball double play. Pitcher Denis Lyman then fielded a grounder and fired it to first baseman Watson to end the game.

Game Two

Herkimer broke a 1-1 tie with four runs in the fourth inning. Bunt plays by Carlos Almonte (Brooklyn, NY) and Hayden Caffey broke open the inning. Columbia-Greene answered with two runs in the bottom of the fourth, chasing starter Joe Kuzia (Seymour, CT) from the game, but Herkimer's defense held the Twin scoreless the rest of the way.

Herkimer added three runs in the top of the seventh to stretch the lead to 8-3 and secure the victory. Brandon Overstreet went four-for-six on the day and Watson went four-for-seven. Overstreet is now batting .462 and Watson is at .440 on the year.

The Generals' next game is Saturday at home vs. Fulton-Montgomery CC with a noon start. Herkimer is now 10-9 overall and 9-1 in Region III.