Pioneers Sweep Express, Winning Streak Now at Four

The Alfred State baseball team swept a pair of games at Wells in their first action in New York during the 2018 season. The Pioneers took the opener 3-2 and then collected 18 hits in a 11-0 victory in game two. The blue & gold have now won four straight and improve to 5-11 on the year.

The opener was a scoreless battle until the 5th inning with Matt Isham (Maine Endwell) and Derek Shea keeping either team from scoring. In the 5th, Mike Gibson (Schenectady) singled up the middle to score Jack Henby (Hornell) with the first run of the game. David Zuber (Honeoye Falls Lima) made it 3-0 in the 6th when he tripled to right field. Wells cut into the lead with a RBI double by Dylan Nolan and a RBI ground out by Mark Yorkey in their half of the inning. Danny Doran (Irondequoit) tossed a 1-2-3, 7th inning to earn the save.

Connor Pingitore (Amsterdam/Broadalbin-Perth) was 2 for 2 with a run scored to lead the Pioneers seven-hit attack. Zuber, Nick Geyer (Newburgh Free Academy), and Josh Laurie (LeRoy) all had extra base hits.

Isham allowed four hits and two earned runs in six innings to earn his first collegiate victory. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one. Doran struck out two in the 7th to earn his first save of the year.

In the nightcap, the blue & gold put together two big innings to take control of the game early. In the 2nd, Gibson got the Pioneers on the board with a RBI groundout. Dan Woodward (Honeoye) made it 3-0 one batter later with a 2-RBI single and Doran followed with a two-run homer to left center. The homer was his third of the season.

The Pioneers kept the pressure on in the 3rd inning and added four more runs. Brody Burdett (Scottsdale, AZ) scored on a wild pitch, Gibson doubled home a run, Woodward connected on a RBI double, and Doran collected a RBI single down the left field line.

Henby made it 10-0 in the 6th when he singled home Colin Johnson (Alfred Almond), who had doubled to left center earlier in the inning. In the 7th, Burdett added an RBI single to cap the scoring.

Every single Pioneer starter collected a hit and five different Pioneers finished with multiple hits. Woodward led the attack with a 4 for 5, 3 RBI day. Pingitore was 3 for 4, Burdett was 3 for 5 with a RBI, and Doran was 2 for 5 with 3 RBI. Johnson also collected two hits finishing 2 for 3 with three runs scored.

Lucas Cornell (Alfred Almond) allowed just three hits in the complete game victory. He walked two and struck out 12 to earn his first weekend of the season.

The Pioneers are slated to open up AMCC play on Wednesday when they battle Pitt Bradford. The doubleheader (1-9 inning game, 1-7 inning game) will begin at Noon and will be played at Houghton College.