Collegiate baseball: Rapids swept in doubleheader at Dansville, dealt seventh straight loss | Rapids

DANSVILLE — Even playing a new opponent in a different venue couldn’t help halt the Watertown Rapids’ slide on Tuesday.

The Rapids were defeated by the Dansville Gliders in both ends of a doubleheader in New York Collegiate League baseball play.

The Gliders won the first game, 6-3, and then prevailed in the nightcap to complete a sweep of Watertown at Babcock Park.

With the loss, the Rapids (5-10-1) were dealt their seventh consecutive setback.

Dansville (12-6), which leads the West Division, jumped out to early leads in both games en route to the pair of victories.

The the opener, the Gliders scored two runs in both of the first two innings, keyed by RBI singles from Carson Herman, Bobby Griffon and Luca Finton.

Watertown responded as Jorge Rodriguez hit a two-run home run in the fourth and Peyton Adams doubled in a run in the fifth to draw within 4-3.

But Dansville answered with a run in the fifth and sixth as Ethan Loop singled in a run and Philip Lombardi walked with the bases loaded.

Rodriguez finished with two hits in the game for Watertown.

Watertown graduate John Flowers pitched a complete game in taking the loss, yielding six runs, with five of them earned, on seven hits and five walks while recording three strikeouts.

In the second game, Zachary Shook and Cole Kelleher combined on a one-hit shutout, with Shook yielding the hit while striking out six and walking three over six innings.

Kelleher pitched a scoreless seventh, striking out two, to post the save.

Dansville struck for three runs in the first inning, two more in the third and plated three runs in the fourth.

In the opening inning, Shawn Loui singled in a run and Brady Hargraves followed with an RBI double to stake the Gliders to the 3-0 lead.

Derek Babineau Jr. hit and RBI single in the third and Hargraves doubled in another run, and Luca Finton followed with a three-run home run in the fourth.

Hargraves and Babineau Jr. each totaled three hits in the game, driving in three and two runs, respectively.

Peyton Adams doubled to pace Watertown at the plate.

Starter Damon Asencio took the loss for the Rapids, allowing eight runs on 10 hits while walking one and striking out none in four innings of work.

Watertown is also unbeaten in its last seven games at 0-6-1 as it recorded a 10-10 tie with Rochester on June 13 before its losing streak began.

The Rapids will host the Syracuse Salt Cats at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday before playing a doubleheader at Rochester at 2 p.m. on Thursday.