Alfred State Wins Nightcap to Earn Split with La Roche

The Alfred State baseball team split a pair of competitive AMCC games vs. La Roche on Wednesday afternoon. The Redhawks used a six run 3rd inning in the opener and held on for a 6-4 victory while the Pioneers used a big four run 2nd inning and withstood two rain delays for a 7-4 victory in game two.

In the opener, the Pioneers got on the board first when Matteo Avallone (Mahopac/Bridgton Academy) singled to left to drive home Sam Dickerson (Cutchogue/Mattituck) singled two batters earlier.

La Roche scored all their runs of the game in the 3rd when they were able to take advantage of four walks and two hit by pitches. The big blow of the innings came when Philip Pieto lifted a three-run homer to left to make it 6-1 Redhawks.

Dickerson lifted a sac fly to center in the 3rd to cut the lead to 6-2 and the Pioneers made it a two-run game with two more in the 5th. With the bases loaded Brody Burdett's (Scottsdale, AZ) grounder to first misplayed a pair of runners came around to score. The Redhawks got a big double-play to end that threat.

The blue & gold threatened again in the 7th putting runners on 1st and 2nd with one out but Zack Oddi was able to finish his complete game with a flyout and a strikeout.

Holler was the lone Pioneer with multiple hits finishing 2 for 4 with two runs scored. Chris Baldwin (Patchogue-Medford) was fantastic out of the bullpen and kept Alfred State in the ballgame. He threw 4.1 innings of one hit ball. He didn't walk a batter and struck out one.

The second game was a battle on the field and with mother nature. The Redhawks took advantage of a two out error and scored a pair of runs to grab a 2-0 lead in the 2nd. 

The Pioneers answered back with four of their own in the bottom half of the inning. Nick Serce (Irondequoit) hit a RBI groundout and Dickerson gave the blue & gold the lead for good when he collected a two-out single up the middle to plate a pair. Holler came around to score to make it 4-2 when Burdett's ground ball was thrown away.

Avallone made it a 5-2 advantage in the 3rd when he lifted the first pitch he saw over the left field fence for his 6th homer of the season.

After the first rain delay, the Pioneers added two insurance runs. They loaded the bases and Serce lifted a deep fly ball to centerfield that scored a pair of teammates and pushed the lead to 7-4.

The Redhawks were able to push two runs across in the top of the 9th but Christopher Mattoon (Elmira) got the final three outs to seal the victory.

Alfred State was held to just five hits in the nightcap. Avallone and Holler collected extra base hits and Serce finished with 3 RBI without the benefit of a hit.

Chris Catoire (Brooklyn/Fort Hamilton) earned the victory. He came out of the bullpen in the 2nd inning and went 6.1 innings. He allowed five hits and two earned runs while walking three and striking out five. 

The Pioneers are now 13-19 overall and 7-5 in AMCC play while LaRoche is now 13-1 overall and in AMCC play.

Alfred State heads to Pitt Greensburg on Friday for a 1 p.m. doubleheader vs. the Bobcats.