Pioneers Falter vs. Houghton

The Alfred State baseball team jumped out to an early lead but Houghton stormed back and defeated the Pioneers 23-9 on Friday afternoon.

The Pioneers scored five runs in the bottom of the 1st inning. Cullen Franz (Cazenovia) hit a sac fly, David Zuber (Honeoye Falls Lima) had a RBI double, and Austin Baker (Canisteo Greenwood) hit a RBI groundout. Zuber scored on a error and Andy Pichardo (Queens/Ansbach) swiped home to cap the inning.

The Highlanders got back into the game with a four-run 3rd inning keyed by a two run single by Jeremy Newswanger. Andy Pichardo hit a RBI double in the bottom of the inning but Houghton took the lead for good in the 4th with three runs.

The Highlanders would score multiple runs in every inning the rest of the way. Baker had a RBI double in the 5th while Rafael Perozo (Bronx/St. Raymond) and Pichardo delivered RBI's in the 9th.

Thomas Shofi (Carmel) was 2 for 2, Lucas Cornell (Alfred Almond) was 2 for 3, and Pichardo was 2 for 4 with a RBI. Baker was 2 for 5 with a pair of RBI and Colin Johnson (Alfred Almond) was 2 for 5.

Nicholas Melchiore was 3 for 7 with 5 RBI for Houghton while Tage Johnson was 3 for 5 with a 2-run homer. The Highlanders collected 21 hits on the day and drew 11 walks.

The blue & gold were slated to play a doubleheader at Fredonia on Saturday but the game was postponed. The two teams will play a single 9-inning contest on Monday afternoon at 4 p.m.