AURORA, NY—The Houghton Highlanders picked up a pair of victories on the road Tuesday afternoon, defeating the host Wells Express, 3-2 and 11-3.
 
Houghton rapped out 23 hits on the day, while committing only two defensive errors and allowing only five runs.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game 1 Score: Houghton – 3 | Wells - 2
Game 2 Score: Houghton – 11 | Wells – 3 (6 IN)
Records: Houghton: 4-8 | Wells: 1-8
Venue: Wells Turf Field, Wells College | Attendance: 51/51
 
Game 1: Tanya Hatton picked up her second win of the year, allowing only two runs and striking out four in a complete game effort.
 
Trailing 1-0 in the fifth inning, Taylor Sile ripped a double to left-center, plating two runs to give Houghton a one-run lead.
 
The Express answered in the bottom half of the inning on a single to center that knotted the game at two runs apiece.
 
With the game still tied, 2-2, in the seventh, Katie Jones led off with a single and promptly stole second base.  After Sile reached on an error the Express retired the next two batters before committing another error that allowed Jones to score the go-ahead run.
 
Wells led off the bottom of the seventh with a double down the left field line and advanced the tying run to third on a fly out.  Hatton dug deep and induced an infield popup for the second out then retired the final batter on a ground ball back to the mound.
 
Game 2: Trailing 1-0 in the top of the third, Sile struck again, blasting a three-run homer to left to give Houghton the lead.
 
After Wells pulled to within a run in the bottom half of the inning, Kaylee Jentsch singled home Sile and Meghan Armstrong doubled to score Jentsch.
 
While the Express would get back a run in the bottom of the fourth, Houghton would open the flood gates in the fifth and sixth, plating six more runs to end the game after six innings, 11-3.
 
Jentsch picked up her second win of the year, tossing four innings and allowing only two hits and two earned runs.  Ally Barr finished the game, pitching the final two frames without allowing a run while only one batter reached base.
 
KEY STATS:
>> Sile finished her day 4-for-8 with a double and a homerun, three runs scored, five RBI and three stolen bases.
 
>> McKenzie Marti collected three hits for the Highlanders, while Jones, Barr, Armstrong, Barbara Richert and Taylor Dillenbeck each added two hits apiece.

COACH'S CORNER:
"We had a solid day today.  We started off a little slow in the first game, but definitely picked it up with our bats in the second.
 
"Overall, I'm happy with our pitchers' performances.  Tanya [Hatton] had great control in the first game, while Kaylee [Jentsch] and Ally [Barr] teamed up for a very good game in game two.
 
"Today was just the first step in the process.  We have some areas that need improvement and a lot of season left." –Coach Katie Sinclair
 
UP NEXT:
Houghton travels to Buffalo on Friday, March 23 for a non-conference doubleheader with the Medaille Mavericks at 3:00 and 5:00 p.m.