SPORTS

Experienced Genoa hopes it's gone from puppy to big dog

Matthew Horn
Reporter

ELIDA – Every baseball player wants to hit a grand slam.

Genoa, however, took it one step at a time as it scored all its runs in the third inning in a 5-3 victory over Baltimore Liberty Union in a Division III regional semifinal Thursday at Elida Middle School.

The Comets (24-4) play Huron at 5 p.m. Friday in the regional finals. Jake Wojciechowski will start on the mound for Genoa.

"We're dream chasing to get to state," said Wojciechowski, who had three hits in four at-bats. "We played our own game. The only thing that can beat us is ourselves. We just want to keep it going."

Kyle Edwards, Wojciechowsk, Nick Wolfe, Matt Bradfield and Luke Rightnowar each scored in the third inning for the Comets. Wojciechowski bunted for a single while Bradfield, Rightnowar, Gabe Scott and Blake Traver added an RBI apiece.

"We played smart," Rightnowar said. "Every batter knew their goal — get on base. It wasn't about being the hero with the bases loaded, and we slowly started moving them around."

Rightnowar (9-1) struck out two and walked three while allowing two hits in seven innings for the victory on the mound. He threw 69 pitches.

"He was lights out," Comets coach Ron Rightnowar said. "That was a shutout performance whether it was a shutout or not. That was as good as I've seen him in a while. He was on it. He was not going to get beat."

Luke Rightnowar didn't throw a ball in the first inning as third baseman Edwards and shortstop Cody Pickard, respectively, retired the first two batters on groundouts. He then notched a strikeout.

"This whole year, I've struggled in the first inning and with the first batter," Luke Rightnowar said. "I wanted to focus on getting the leadoff guys out. Cody made a great backhand play. As a pitcher, when the defense makes plays, you're more confident and you pitch better."

The leadoff batter reached on an error in the fourth and scored. Another error helped Liberty Union (15-15) score two runs in the fourth.

Luke Rightnowar retired the side in order in the other five innings.

"First and foremost, give God the glory," he said. "I threw as many strikes as I could. My curve worked well. I kept the ball down and made them hit it. The defense did the work — that's the way I pitch."

Genoa chased Liberty Union pitcher David Smith after 22/3 innings. Smith had allowed only one unearned run in three postseason outings prior.

"We prepared for that funky-lefty slow-thrower all week," Luke Rightnowar said of the side-armer. "We practiced waiting, going to the opposite field and not chasing. When we weren't chasing, he walked people, and that got us going."

Bradfield and Traver had RBI singles, Scott walked to force in a run and Luke Rightnowar drove in a run when hit by a pitch. Edwards singled and Wolfe walked in the third.

Pickard and Aumiller struggled at the plate Thursday but were strong on defense. Pickard charged a grounder to make a tough play for an out to end the third and Aumiller made a long run to catch a foul ball for the penultimate out.

"He's not taking his offense on the field," Ron Rightnowar said of Pickard. "He was spectacular at shortstop. We'll get him going."

Genoa also advanced to the regional finals two years ago when several of the current players were varsity sophomores.

"We're so much more mature," Ron Rightnowar said. "That group was buck-raw and a bit wild. They're more mature and able to stay calm and let their talent come out, instead of acting like a bunch of Labrador puppies."

mhorn@gannett.com

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Twitter:@MatthewHornNH