Late Run Lifts Highlanders

Houghton College broke a 6-6 tie with a one-out RBI single to right field by David Wessells in the 8th inning en route to a 7-6 victory over Alfred State on Tuesday evening.

Danny Doran (Irondequoit) got the Pioneers on the board when he hit a sac fly in the 2nd. In the 3rd, Austin Baker (Canisteo Greenwood) scored on a throwing error in the 3rd and Lucas Cornell (Alfred Almond) followed with a RBI double. Mike Gibson (Schenectady) made it 4-0 n the 4th with a RBI single. 

Garret Kirkpatrick hit a 2-RBI double in the 4th to cut the Pioneers lead in half. They took the lead for the time in the contest with three in the 5th. Jeremy Newswanger scored on a wild pitch, John Zamites stole home, and Wessels scored on a wild pitch. Nicholas Melchiore made it 6-4 Highlanders with a RBI single to left in the 6th.

Cullen Franz (Cazenovia) tied it up in the top of the 7th when he sent his 6th homer of the season over the right field fence.

The Highlanders stranded two in the bottom of the 7th and the Pioneers stranded two in the top of the 8th before Wessells delivered the game winning hit in the 8th. Taylor Huntsman retired the blue and gold in order in the 9th to seal the victory for Houghton.

Franz was 2 for 4 with 2 RBI while David Zuber (Honeoye Falls Lima) was 2 for 4. Zamites was 3 for 4 while Wessells was 2 for 4. Huntsman didn't allow a hit and walked just one in 1.2 innings of work to earn the victory.

The Pioneers are right back in action tomorrow night when they travel to Penn State DuBois for a 7 p.m. contest with the Lions.