KEUKA PARK, N.Y. — The Keuka College Baseball team set a new program record in wins as the Wolves swept a North Eastern Athletic Conference doubleheader against Cazenoiva College at Kuhl Field on Saturday.
Keuka College (24-14, 14-3 NEAC) won the opener 4-1. The Wolves then completed the sweep, defeating Cazenovia 12-1 in game two.
Keuka College 4 vs. Cazenovia College 1 – Game One
The Wolves started the bottom of the first by reaching on an error and Keuka College made the Wildcats pay for the mistake. Ryan Seales (Saratoga Springs, N.Y. / Saratoga Springs) doubled to score Vertoske and give the Wolves a 1-0 lead.
That score would stand until the fourth inning when Cazenovia had a pair of hits and pushed a run across to tie the game at 1-1.
Keuka College regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. With one out, Anthony Mashewske (Newark, N.Y. / Newark) singled and then went from first to third on a failed pickoff throw. However, Mashewske would be out at home on a failed squeeze play. With two outs, the Wolves got base runners on an error and hit batter. Brooks Vertoske (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads) drove a ball deep to the left centerfield game. The Cazenovia centerfield laid out for the ball, but missed it. Vertokse came all the way around for the three-run inside-the-park home run as the Wolves took a 4-1 lead.
Tyler Key (Chico, Calif. / Gridley) closed the door for his fifth save of the season as Keuka College won 4-1.
Lead Wolf: Brooks Vertoske hit his sixth home run of the season, tying for third most in program history. He drove in three runs and scored two himself.
Keuka College 12 vs. Keuka College 1 – Game Two
Keuka College took the lead over Cazenovia College in third inning on a two-run double by Tyler Freedman (Rochester, N.Y. / Aquinas Institute). The Wolves added to their lead with a sac fly in the third and played four more runs in the fourth inning for the 7-0 advantage.
The Wolves continued the attack with RBI singles by Dan Bamann (Rochester, N.Y. / Irondequoit) in the sixth, Dave Verrett (Cicero, N.Y. / Cicero-North Syracuse) in the seventh, and Caleb Ladd (Trumansburg, N.Y. / Charles O. Dickerson) and Pat Flaherty (Lockport, N.Y. / Lockport) in the eighth. The Green and Gold would continue onto the 12-1 victory.
Lead Wolf: Despite the offensive output for the Wolves, the story of the game was on the mound. K.C. Howe (Mount Morris, N.Y. / Mount Morris) went the distance for the Wolves. Howe took a perfect game into the sixth inning. He pitched all nine innings and struck out 10 batters, both career-bests.
KC Notes:
- Keuka College extends their win streak over Cazenovia to seven games. Overall, the Wildcats still hold a 36-23 advantage over the Wolves
- Keuka College broke the 2014 record by winning 24 games and 12 home games this season
- Dan Bamann passed John Rizzo for the most games played in program history. While playing, Bamann moved into third on the career hits list
- After his home run in the first game, Vertoske added to his day with three hits, including two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI in game two
- Vertoske moved into a tie for the third most hits in a season in program history. He also has set the school record for runs in a season, second for doubles in a season, first for triples, and tied for third in home runs
Up Next for Keuka College: The Wolves will conclude their 2019 regular season on Sunday as they complete the three-game series with Cazenovia College. First pitch from Kuhl Field is set for noon.