(Photo: Celebrating 300 strikeouts, from left, dad Rob Davenport, Sarah Easterly, Ethan Davenport, mom, Tricia, sister Ceirra Davenport)
Ethan Davenport has not only reached two impressive milestones this season, he pitched a gem on Wednesday night as Genesee Valley/Belfast won and he earned his 300th career strikeout. He also reached his 20th career win on the mound during this incredible season.
Genesee Valley/Belfast improved to 10-0 with a 7-2 win over Bolivar-Richburg/Cuba-Rushford/Parker Jordan.
Davenport tossed a complete game 4-hitter with 15 strikeouts for the win and did not give up an earned run. He registered his 300th strikeout during the game.
At the plate, he sealed the win with a 3-run home run line drive shot over the left field fence. Davenport finished 3-for-4 with three runs scored.
Also for GVB, Derek Calanni had a RBI double and scored, Nolan Hunter had a RBI single, Ben Cater had a hit, Ian MacKenzie reached twice and Carson Foster had a big RBI single. Tanner Herdman walked three times and scored twice, Trent Hutchison walked and had a RBI. Damon Davis was solid behind the plate and Bryan Kear made a big catch to end the game.
For B-R/C-R/PJ (3-2, and competing in Class B2 with the baseball merger), Ryder Iantorno had two hits including crushing a triple and scored, Chase Haas (run), Mason Baldwin and Connor Margeson had hits. Braxton Clark reached on two walks.
Baldwin got the start on the mound and Hass came in to throw four innings with five strikeouts.
Genesee Valley/Belfast coach Dennis “Dennis” Miles now has 833 career wins as the team moves to 10-0. He broke the New York State record for wins last season with his 807th during a 21-2 season. Miles knows about records and milestones and feels every pitcher who reaches 20 wins should be celebrated.
“To me, 20 wins is the equivalent of a basketball player getting 1,000 points — which receives a great deal of praise and a ton of exposure,” Miles said. “I believe when a pitcher gets 20 wins, they deserve all of the press coverage and exposure as 20 wins does not happen often.
Miles coached at Wellsville, winning 12 of the programs 16 Section V titles since 1969. He won two more titles at Avoca-Prattsburgh. He’s seen a lot of great pitching, as Wellsville and Pittsford Sutherland are tied for the most Section V titles in history at 16 and Bolivar-Richburg is third at 12.
“In the last 50 years at Wellsville, a program with a lot of program wins, I believe there were only nine pitchers to win 20 games in a career,” Miles said. “It’s time to give our baseball players the exposure they deserve.”
GVB is undefeated this season thanks to strong pitching performances from five different players anfd good hitting.
Sophomore Carson Foster recently picked up his first win striking out 10 in five innings, throwing a 2-hitter. Lefty Derek Calanni started in shutout win over Cal-Mum, giving up just two hits.
GVBC hosts Campbell-Savona today at 5 p.m. in Belmont at Genesee Valley then has a tough 3-game stretch, hosting Canisteo-Greenwood on Monday in Belfast at Arkport-Canaseraga on Tuesday and then a 7 p.m. game in Fillmore on Wednesday.
