Franz Delivers Walk-off Winner

Cullen Franz (Cazenovia) ripped a one-out single in the bottom of the 10th to lift Alfred State to a 8-7 victory over Elmira on Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers trailed 7-4 heading into the 9th but plated three runs in the 9th before winning it in the 10th.

Thomas Shofi (Carmel) gave the Pioneers the early 1-0 lead in the 1st when he singled home Franz. Elmira answered back and took a 2-1 lead in the 3rd on a RBI double by Will Jenkins and a RBI single by Conor Bawiec.

Andy Pichardo (Corona/Academy of American Studies) scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the 3rd to tie the game up but Elmira strung together six hits in the 4th to grab a 6-2 lead. Jenkins delivered a 2-RBI double, Bawiec collected his second RBI single of the game, and Dennis Rudolph capped the scoring with a RBI single to left.

Alfred State cut the lead to 6-4 with single runs in the 6th and 7th. Pedro Mora (Manhattan/AP Randolph) doubled home a run in the 6th and Michael English (Livonia) scored on a balk in the 7th.

Elmira grabbed an insurance run in the 9th on a RBI single by Rudolph to make it 7-4 heading into the final frame. Jesse Swan (Campbell Savona) started the bottom of the 9th with a pinch hit single. English followed with a single to right and Franz drove home Swan with a RBI single to right. After a sac bunt by Pichardo, Shofi was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Rafael Perozo (Bronx/St. Raymond) stepped up and lifted a fly ball to the right field warning track that was caught but was deep enough to allow both English and Franz (from 2nd) to score to tie the game. Elmira got out of the inning without any more damage to force extra innings.

After a leadoff walk and a sac bunt, Kyle Kuzma (Waverly) came out of the Pioneer bullpen and kept the Eagles off the board setting up Franz's walk-off hit. Mora led off the 10th inning by reaching on an error, Garrett Mack (Avon) moved him to 2nd with a sac bunt. After a walk to English, Franz collected his third hit of the day that allowed Mora to score to seal the Pioneers 10th victory in their last 11 games.

Franz finished 3 for 6 with 2 RBI while Mora was 2 for 5 with a RBI.

Bawiec led Elmira with a 4 for 4, 2 RBI day while Jenkins was 2 for 4 with 3 RBI.

Kuzma earned the victory on the mound for the Pioneers by getting the final two outs of the 10th inning. Jake Remington (Letchworth) was solid out of the pen for Alfred State allowing one earned run in 4.1 innings of work.

The blue & gold are back in action on Saturday when they host Penn State Behrend in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.