FT. PIERCE, F.L.—The Houghton baseball team dropped a doubleheader sweep to the Buccaneers from Massachusetts Maritime Academy to open their season on Monday.
 
Despite a pair of strong starting pitching performances and some timely hitting, bullpen walks and a number of defensive miscues ultimately doomed the Highlanders in both games.
 
Game One:
Trailing, 5-2, in the fourth, the Highlanders rallied to tie the game after David Wessells and Taylor Huntsman walked, Tage Johnson knocked in Wessells with a shot through the left side, and Ethan Duryea plated Huntsman and Johnson.
 
After a baserunning miscue kept the Highlanders off the board in the top of the fifth, the Buccaneers capitalized on a critical Houghton error in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two unearned runs.
 
All nine Highlanders reached base safely at least once, and Wessells and Huntsman each went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk.
 
Victor Cavalieri struck out seven over five innings of work, but picked up the loss.
 
Game Two
John Kopicky looked dominant through the first three innings and the Highlanders grabbed a 1-0 lead after David Wessells singled to right, took second on an aggressive play, then stole third and scored on an error.
 
Kopicky ran into some trouble in the fourth.  After walking the bases loaded, a Buccaneer single to center plated two runs.  The big right-hander, however, would strike out the final two batters to end the rally with Houghton trailing by only one.
 
After a leadoff walk in the sixth, Ned Monthie made a nice play on a sacrifice attempt to cut down the runner at second, keeping the double play in order.  A tailor-made double-play ball by the next batter looked like the Highlanders would keep things close, but an error prolonged the inning and the wheels came off from there. 
 
The Buccaneers scored seven runs in the inning to take a commanding 8-1 lead.
 
Another bases-loaded miscue by the Highlanders led to three more Buccaneer runs in the seventh.
 
But Houghton would not go quietly.  The Highlanders took advantage of three walks, two hit batters and three singles to plate five runs in their final at bat.  While a fly ball to center field quelled the rally, Houghton made things interesting right down to the final at bat.
 
Kopicky finished his day with four strikeouts and only allowed two hits in five innings of work.
 
Huntsman picked up two more hits in the losing effort.
 
Coach's Corner
"I'm proud of how hard our guys played all day.  We never quit.
 
"There are, however, a number of areas where we need to improve.  Too many walks, and too many defensive miscues. 
 
"We had a lot of quality at bats from the top and middle of our order, but need to see more production throughout. 
 
"I think we're all looking forward to getting back on the field again on Wednesday." –Coach Brian Reitnour