The Genesee Community College baseball season came to an end on Saturday afternoon after the Cougars fell to Mercyhurst North East 8-3 in the first elimination game of the Region III Playoffs.
Genesee took an early lead after Shakeel Newton (Christiansted, V.I.) singled to lead off the bottom of the first, stole second and then scored on a fielders choice to give GCC a 1-0 lead. Starting pitcher Ruben Medina (Maracaibo, VEN) kept the lead safe until the fourth inning when the Saints broke through with a solo homerun by Tim Denman to tie the game at one.
Mercyhurst NE took the lead in the fifth, scoring three times on a walk, an error, a double and a sacrifice fly to take a 4-1 lead. The Cougars responded in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs on an RBI single from Fauchedre Celestijn (Willemstad, Curacao) and a sacrifice fly from Rafael Lozada (Santo Domingo, DR) to make it a 4-3 game, but GCC could not close the gap any further.
The Saints added two runs in the sixth, a run in the seventh and a run in the ninth and set GCC hitters down in order in three out of the final four innings to earn the victory.
(Tyler Koronas (white) slides in safely to third against Mercyhurst North East on Saturday afternoon)
Medina went six innings and allowed six runs (five earned) on seven hits while striking out one.
Newton finished the game 1-4 with a single and two runs scored, Tyler Koronas (Naples, FL) was 1-3 with a single, two walks and a run scored and Lozada was 1-3 with a single and a run batted in.
With the win, Mercyhurst North East advanced to the championship round and defeated Monroe Community College 9-5 in the 4pm game on Saturday. The two teams will play at noon on Sunday, with the winner being crowned Region III Champion.
Genesee finishes the season 28-15.
