HOUGHTON, NY—Despite a late rally, the Ithaca Bombers held on to defeat the Houghton Highlanders, 13-10, on a chilly night at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.
 
Trailing 12-4 in the bottom of the sixth inning, the Highlanders pushed three across after Jeremy Newswanger singled home Ethan Duryea, a ground ball scored John Zamites, and David Wessells ripped an RBI double to right-center.
 
After exchanging runs in the seventh, Nicholas Melchiore held the Bombers scoreless in the top of the eighth.  Houghton then scored two more runs on a Melchiore ground out and a base hit by Wayne Rode.
 
The Highlanders continued to threaten in the inning, loading the bases with one out, but a 4-6-3 double play ended the inning and the Houghton rally.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Ithaca – 13 | Houghton - 10
Records: Ithaca: 12-10 (5-4 Empire 8) | Houghton: 9-11 (2-5 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton College | Attendance: 35
 
KEY STATS:
>> The two teams combined to pound out 28 hits, 15 for the Bombers and 13 for the Highlanders.
 
>> Houghton pitchers walked nine and hit one while the Bombers issued only two free passes but hit four Highlander batters.
 
>> John Zamites finished 3-for-5 with two runs scored and four RBI, including a thrilling three-run inside-the-park home run to deep centerfield. 
 
>> Wessells also went 3-for-5 with a double and a walk, and Ethan Duryea added two hits for the Highlanders.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"This definitely was not our best game, but I'm proud of how our guys continued to battle throughout and gave us a chances to win all the way to the end. 
 
"We made a few mental mistakes that bit us, gave up too many free bases, didn't hold runners well and they hit the ball hard all over the place, but we stayed with them.
 
"Ithaca is always a quality team, and there isn't a better-coached team that we play.  We get two more shots at them a week from today and we're looking forward to that rematch.
 
"In the meantime, we have some very important games this weekend and I'm already itching to get back to work." –Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
Houghton returns to the Kerr-Pegula Baseball Field on Friday at 6:00 p.m. to take on the SUNY Canton Roos in the first game of a best-of-three Empire 8 series.