HOUGHTON, NY—Ned Monthie (Albany, NY, Christian Brothers Academy) threw seven scoreless innings and the Houghton bats pounded out 18 hits to open conference play with a 12-1 victory over Utica College.
 
Houghton improves to 10-9 (1-0) while Utica falls to 0-9 (0-1 Empire 8).
 
With game time temperatures at 37 degrees, the Highlander bats got hot early.  Houghton scored two runs in the first on an RBI double by Tage Johnson (Jamestown, NY, Frewsburg) and an RBI single by Bryan Hodge (Thornton, CO, Community Christian), then plated two in the second and two in the third.
 
Meanwhile Monthie began to cruise.  After working his way out of two miscues by his defense in the first he allowed only four hits over his seven innings of work, walking one and striking out five.
 
In the sixth Houghton tacked on two more runs after Tim Brizzell (Saratoga Springs, NY, Saratoga Central Catholic) and Jens Omdal (Olympia, WA, River Ridge) hit back-to-back singles and Chris Welch (Denham Springs, LA, Denham Springs) sacrificed them over.  Michael Knapp (Brockport, NY, Brockport) then hit an RBI single and Patrick Parsons (Wellsboro, PA, Wellsboro) ripped an RBI double down the right field line.
 
In their final at bat the Highlanders pushed across four more runs for insurance.
 
Sean Brown (Lockport, NY, Starpoint) pitched the final two innings in relief of Monthie, allowing one run on two hits and picking up one strikeout.
 
Every Highlander starter collected at least one hit on the day while Omdal went 3-for-4 at the plate and Knapp, Parsons, Brizzell, Welch, Garret Kirkpatrick (York, PA, Central York) and Ethan Duryea (Concord, OH, Cornerstone Christian) each posted two hits apiece.
 
Vincent Burillo and Matthew Fitzgerald posted two hits apiece for Utica.