IAC BASEBALL: NEWARK VALLEY THUMPS GROTON, 13-3 (2024-04-23)

Tioga County Sports Report
NEWARK VALLEY — Six players collected multiple hits while Will Craparo and Gabe Merrill combined to throw a no-hitter as Newark Valley defeated Groton, 13-3, in a five-inning IAC baseball game Tuesday.

The Cardinals trailed only briefly, after half an inning, as a Craparo double, and RBI singles by Brandon Eynon and Josh Karp gave them a 2-1 edge in the bottom of the first.

The Red Hawks would tie things up in the second, but NV went ahead to stay in the home half of the inning. Tim Wojtysiak doubled and scored on a single by Scott Wager. After a Josh Benjamin walk, Eynon smacked an RBI double to plate what proved to be the game-winning run. Merrill’s RBI single and a two-run single by Ryan Rhodes made it a 7-2 advantage for the home team.

NV chalked up another four runs in the third. Wager singles, Craparo singled, Eynon walked and Merrill’s two-run single made it a 9-2 contest. After Eynon scored on a Rhodes ground out, Karp walked and Merrill scored on a wild pitch to give the Cardinals an 11-2 cushion.

Groton picked up a run in the top of the fifth, but NV countered with a two-run single by Wojtysiak in the home half of the inning. Karp, who was hit by a pitch, and Chase Smolinsky, who reached on an error, scored the runs.

Eynon went 2-for-3 with three runs and two RBI; Merril was 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBI; and Craparo was 2-for-3 with two runs. Wager was 2-for-2 with two runs and an RBI; Karp went 2-for-2 with a run and RBI; and Wojtysiak was 2-for-4 with a run and two RBI. Rhodes contributed one hit and drove in three runs; Smolinsky added a hit and a run; and Benjamin scored a run.

Craparo got the win, striking out five and walking eight over 4 ⅔ innings. Merrill fanned one batter and walked one in one-third of an inning of relief.

NV (4-3) hosts Southern Cayuga at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday.