Pioneers Open up Season

After six postponed contests, the Alfred State baseball team opened up their 2015 campaign at Houghton College on Tuesday afternoon. The Pioneers could not rally from early deficits and fell 9-4 and 7-2 to the Highlanders (6-4).

In the opener, Houghton used a four run 3rd inning to grab a 5-0 lead. Both teams scored twice in the 4th and the Pioneers cut the lead to 7-4 with two more in the 5th but the Highlanders kept the blue & gold off the board the rest of the way and added two insurance runs in the 6th.

Cullen Franz (Cazenovia) was 1 for 4 with a two RBI triple in the 5th while Nicholas Padley (Sweet Home) and Jose Martinez (Queens/Newtown) were each 1 for 3 with a RBI.

Mike Kerr led Houghton's 11-hit attackw with a pair of extra base hits and four RBI. Kevin Cassar tossed six innings to earn the win to improve to 2-1 on the year.

Houghton scored three runs in both the 1st and 2nd innings in the nightcap to jump ahead early and then fought off a bases loaded jam in the 7th to finish the sweep.

Robert Cardona (Harlem/All Hallows) and Rafael Perozo (Bronx/St. Raymond) drove home run for the Pioneers. The Pioneers collected six hits in the contest including a double by Dylan Lewis Ellison (Whitesville) and a triple by Padley.

Kerr and Christopher McKay were each 2 for 3 for Houghton while Garrett Kirkpatrick connected on a solo homer. Jared Knowlton tossed the first 5.2 innings of the contest to earn the win while Chad Muise came in with the bases loaded and one out in the 7th and got the final two outs to record the save.

The Pioneers are next in action on Saturday when they open up their spring trip in Florida with a doubleheader vs. Maine-Farmington. First pitch of game one is slated for Noon.