HOUGHTON, NY—The Utica Pioneers swept the Houghton Highlanders on their home turf on Saturday afternoon, 13-4 and 10-5.
Free bases plagued the Highlanders all day as they walked a combined total of 17 batters and hit seven more. Meanwhile the Utica pitchers struck out 22 Houghton batters.
GAME VITALS
Game 1 Score: Utica – 13 | Houghton - 4
Game 2 Score: Utica – 10 | Houghton – 5
Records: Utica: 6-3 | Houghton: 8-3
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton College | Attendance: 0
Game 1: A triple by Shamariah McCullough and a wild pitch gave Utica an early 2-0 lead in the first. Houghton quickly answered in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run blast by catcher
Wayne Rode.
The Pioneers, however, would score 10 more runs in the next two frames, including eight in the third to take a commanding 12-2 lead. John Son cracked the killing blow in the third with a three-run homerun off Houghton reliever
Ethan Cetton.
Houghton would pick up a pair of runs in the third and fourth innings, but would never truly come within striking distance.
Cetton would settle in for the Highlanders, allowing only one additional run over his final 4.1 innings of work.
Griffin Baur picked up his second win of the season for the Pioneers, tossing five innings and allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks, while striking out 10.
Game 2: Houghton kicked off the scoring in the first after
David Wessells led off with a double to centerfield, moved to third on a deep fly out by
Joe Gross, and scored on a groundout by
Wayne Rode.
That lead, however, would prove short-lived as the Pioneers scored five runs in the top of the second, thanks to two hits, two walks, a hit-by-pitch, and a key Houghton defensive error.
Utica would continue to put pressure on the Highlanders, putting up single runs in each of the next three innings, and finally putting plating two in the top of the seventh.
Houghton would trim the Pioneers' lead to 8-3 in the fourth when
Dylan Boprey tripled home
Jason Kauffeldt and
Zach Parr.
The Highlanders tried to put together one final rally in the ninth, when Rode drove home Wessells with a sacrifice fly and pinch hitter
Chris VanCheri drove in Gross with a single to center. The Pioneers, however, would allow Houghton to come no closer, picking up the final out to secure the sweep.
Daniel Parslow picked up his first win of the year for the Pioneers, allowing three runs over five innings, while walking only one and striking out eight.
KEY STATS:
>> Of the 24 Utica batters that reached base either by walk or hit-by-pitch, 11 would eventually score.
>> In Game Two, Houghton actually outhit the Pioneers, 7-6, and committed two few errors.
>>
David Wessells picked up three more hits on the day, including a double, and he stole a base. He now has 158 career hits, four behind all-time leader, Tage Johnson.
>> Gross, Rode and Boprey all hit one hit apiece in both games form Houghton.
>> Son finished the day with a team-leading three hits for the Pioneers, all in game one, including a homerun and a double.
COACH'S CORNER:
"This was a tough day for us. We did not play very well in any facet of the game. We showed glimpses, but that simply isn't good enough. Utica capitalized on our shortcomings and overall just played better baseball than we did.
"I'm looking forward to regrouping over the next week, and putting in some quality work in the areas we need to address. Utica is a quality opponent. I believe we will improve, and I look forward to going toe-to-toe with them again soon.
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders are not scheduled to play another game until Monday, April 5, when they will match up with the Alfred State Pioneers at 6:00 p.m.
