IAC BASEBALL: TIOGA'S 7TH-INNING RALLY FALLS SHORT IN 5-4 LOSS TO MORAVIA (18 PHOTOS) (2024-04-24)

Valley Sports Report
TIOGA CENTER — Tioga scored three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, and left the bases loaded in a 5-4 loss to Moravia here Wednesday night in IAC Small School Division baseball action.

The Blue Devils took advantage of three base on balls, and an error to plate a pair of runs in the top of the first inning to take a 2-0 lead.

It could have been a bigger rally, but with the bases loaded, no outs, and the infield in, Tioga starter Garrett Godfrey induced a grounder to junior shortstop Shea Bailey, who fired home to junior catcher Tate MaCauley for the first out of the inning.

Godfrey then struck out the next two batters to avoid further damage.

Moravia took advantage of three more walks in the second inning to extend its lead to 4-0.

The Blue Devils tacked on another run in the fourth inning to up its advantage to 5-0.

Tioga’s only hit of the game came when junior Zac Mumbulo led off the bottom of the fifth inning with a triple down the right-field line, but the Tigers stranded him there with a pair of strikeouts, and a groundout.

The Tigers finally got on the board in the sixth inning. With one out, Bailey reached on an error, and ended up on third base following walks to senior Cam Rought, and Godfrey. MaCauley knocked in the run with a groundout, but a strikeout ended the inning.

The Tigers scored three runs in the home half of the seventh inning without the benefit of a hit to close the gap to 5-4.

Freshman Jackson Bombard was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and juniors Jackson Clark, and Luke Powell worked walks to load the bases.

Walks to sophomore Logan Bellis, and Rought — sandwiched around a strikeout — forced home two runs to trim the deficit to 5-3.

Tioga had a chance to plate another run when the Moravia left fielder misplayed a fly ball, but he was able to recover, and throw home from short left field for the force out at home.

MaCauley followed with a walk to force home another run, but a comebacker to the mound ended Tioga’s rally, and the game.

Mumbulo tripled for Tioga’s only hit, while MaCauley had two RBI, Bellis scored one run, and drove in one run, Rought had an RBI, and Bombard, Clark, and Bailey each scored one run.

Godfrey was tagged with the loss, allowing five runs — four earned — on three hits and seven walks, while striking out three in 3 1/3 innings.

Bailey fanned four and walked three in 3 2/3 innings of one-hit scoreless relief.

Tioga, now 7-2, returns to action Friday at Trumansburg.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga junior Shea Bailey dives safely back into first base. … PHOTOS 1-14 BY AMANDA BAILEY and 15-18 BY MIRANDA SZYMANSKI.