IAC BASEBALL: TIOGA POUNDS OUT 14-3 WIN OVER GROTON (13 PHOTOS) (2024-04-19)

Valley Sports Report
GROTON — Tioga pounded out 14 hits, and sophomore Logan Bellis pitched 4 1/3 scoreless innings of relief in a 14-3 six-inning win over Groton here Friday afternoon in IAC South Small School baseball action.

The Tigers, now 5-0, took control of the game early with six runs in the second inning.

Juniors Garrett Godfrey, Tate MaCauley, and Zac Mumbulo started the second inning off with consecutive singles to load the bases, and freshman Jackson Bombard delivered the first two runs with a single.

After a passed ball scored Mumbulo to make it 3-0, Bellis ripped a two-out RBI triple, and scored on an RBI double by junior Shea Bailey, who stole third and scored on a passed ball to make it 6-0.

The Indians scored three runs in the bottom of the second inning, and had the bases loaded with two outs. Bellis came on to registered a strikeout to end the inning, and preserve the 6-3 lead.

Tioga scored three runs in the top of the fourth to take a 9-3 lead in a rally that included an RBI single by Godfrey, and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Rought.

The Tigers added three more runs in the fifth inning on a two-run single by Rought, and an RBI single by Bailey, extending the lead to 12-3.

Bellis finished off the scoring with a two-run single in the top of the sixth, then retired Groton in order in the home half of the frame to invoke the 10-run “mercy” rule.

Bellis fanned six and walked three, while allowing just one hit in 4 1/3 innings to earn the win.

Bailey had three hits, including a pair of doubles, three runs scored, two stolen bases, and two RBI to pace Tioga’s offense, while Bellis tripled and singled, scored two runs, and knocked in three runs, and Bombard doubled and singled, scored two runs, and drove in two runs.

Godfrey singled twice, scored two runs, and drove in one run in the win, while MaCauley had two hits and one run scored, Rought singled and had three RBI, Mumbulo singled, and scored two runs, junior Luke Powell singled and scored one run, and junior Jackson Clark crossed the plate once.

Tioga hosts Newfield Saturday in a doubleheader at 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

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IN PHOTO 1: Tioga’s Logan Bellis. … PHOTOS COURTESY OF AMANDA BAILEY.