Pioneers Make it Four Straight

The Alfred State baseball team rallied for a 10-5 victory over Elmira at Dunn Field on Thursday afternoon. The Pioneers have now won four straight and improve to 10-10 on the year.

Elmira took the early lead with three runs in the 1st and lead 3-0 until the 3rd when Danny Doran (Irondequoit) hit a sac fly to score Mike Gibson (Schenectady). The Soaring Eagles regained their three-run lead in the bottom of the inning but the Pioneers continued the pressure in the 4th. Jack Henby (Hornell) scored on an error and Gibson followed with a RBI single through the left side. Elmira scored their final run of the game in the 4th when they took advantage of a fielding error.

Henby drew a bases loaded walk in the 5th to make it 5-4 and Doran tied the game up in the 6th with a RBI single. The Pioneers took the lead two batters later when Colin Johnson (Alfred Almond) drove in a run after getting hit by a pitch. The blue & gold pushed their lead to 10-5 with a four run 8th inning. Samuel Dickerson (Cutchogue/Mattituck) collected a RBI single to right center and came around later to score on a wild pitch. Dan Woodward (Honeoye) capped the inning with a two-run single through the right side.

Doran was 2 for 3 with 2 RBI while Henby and Gibson were each 2 for 4 with a RBI. Andy Pichardo (Queens/Academy of American Studies) collected multiple hits finishing 2 for 4. The Pioneers collected 11 singles, drew six walks, and were hit by two pitches.

Connor Hong (Gates Chili) earned the win with six innings of work. He allowed just one earned run on six hits while walking three and striking out four. Adam Wray (Portville) struck out three in two innings of relief while James Bilcik (Nanuet) struck out one in the final inning.

The Pioneers return to AMCC play on Saturday when they host Penn State Altoona in a 1 p.m. doubleheader.