The Houghton College softball team lost game one 5-4 in extra innings, but won game two by the score of 8-4 against the Alfred State Pioneers in Alfred, NY.

In game one the Highlanders were led by Bailey Shattell (Syracuse, NY, Faith Heritage) and Gabrielle Brewster (Oneida, NY, Vernon-Verona Sherrill). Shattell went two for the three and Brewster went one for four with two RBI. In the circle Morgan York (Canisteo, NY, Canisteo-Greenwood) pitched five and one third innings only allowing three earned runs and struck out five Alfred batters. The loss was handed to Jessica Hayner (Waterford, NY, Shenendehowa) and Taylor McCarthy was credited with the win.

In game two Adrienne Huston (New Waterford, OH, Crestview High School), Sarah Beirne (Port Jervis, NY, Port Jervis), and Carolin Strasswimmer (Greenwich, NY, Greenwich/Adirondack CC). Huston went two for four with an RBI, Beirne went two for four with two RBI, and Strasswimmer went one for three with two RBI. York was credited with the win and Rebecca Hanrahan was given the loss.

The split made the Highlanders 4-23 on the year and Alfred 7-19.

In game one the Pioneers got on the board first scoring one run in the bottom of the first inning.

After two scoreless innings the Highlanders regained the lead in the top of the fourth. Hayner's single to left scored Shattell from third. Brewster then hit a ground ball to first and a Pioneer error allowed Beirne to score from second.  Later in the inning Huston came up with two outs and hit a RBI triple that scored cleared the bases and gave the Highlanders a 3-1 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth the Pioneers scored two runs on three hits to tie the game up at three runs apiece.  

After a scoreless seventh inning the game went into extra innings. The international rule put Shattell on second to start off the inning. Beirne laid down the sacrifice bunt to advance Shattell to third. Brewster followed that up with a single into center field that scored Shattell, but the Highlanders failed to score another run.  

The Pioneers scored two in the bottom half of the inning winning in walk off fashion.

In game two the Pioneers scored one run in the bottom of the first and added another in the third to take a 2-0 lead.

In the top of the fourth the Highlanders took advantage of three Alfred errors scoring five runs on three hits. The scoring outburst was highlighted by Beirne's RBI single to left field that scored Rebecca Rex (Dansville, NY, Dansville) and Hayner's bunt for a hit that scored Beirne from third.  

Alfred scored one run in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth to make cut the Highlanders lead to just one run.

The Highlanders responded in the sixth when Strasswimmer and Huston hit RBI singles to take a 7-4 lead.

In the seventh the Highlanders added on one more insurance run when Beirne hit a sac fly that scored York from third.

The Highlanders are back in action Friday when they play St. John Fisher in a doubleheader starting at 3 p.m.