Pioneers and Owls Split

The Alfred State baseball team split a Saturday doubleheader with Maine Presque Isle. The Pioneers took the opener 4-1 while the Owls scored a run in the 7th to win the nightcap 5-4.

Brady Sass (Caledonia Mumford) continued his stellar pitching with a complete game seven hitter in the opener. He didn't allow an earned run or walk a batter while striking out four.

Ryan Sanderson got the Owls on the board in the 4th with a two out single. Robert Cardona (Harlem/All Hallows) tied the game up in the 5th with a RBI single. Cullen Franz (Cazenovia) followed up Cardona's hit and gave the Pioneers the lead for good with a two-run triple and scored on a RBI single by Pedro Mora (Manhattan/AP Randolph).

Cardona was 3 for 3 with his RBI single to pace the Pioneers three hit attack. Sanderson finished 2 for 3 for the Owls.

In the nightcap, the Pioneers could not overcome five defensive miscues. The Pioneers took an early lead with a run in the 1st on a bases loaded walk to Jesse Swan (Campbell Savona) and made it 2-0 in the 3rd on a RBI single by Nick Padley (Tonawanda/Sweet Home).

The Owls took the lead with three runs in the 4th but Franz tied it back up at 3-3 with a RBI single in the bottom half of the inning. After an unearned run scored in the top half of the 6th, Franz hit another RBI single.

In the 7th, Jacob Powell delivered the game-winning hit. The Pioneers had the tying run thrown out at home to end the game.

Franz and Thomas Shofi (Carmel) were each 2 for 4 for Alfred State while Sanderson and Powell were 2 for 4 for Presque Isle.

The Pioneers and Owls continue their four game set on Sunday with a Noon doubleheader.