HOUGHTON, NY—In a season full of one-run games and walk-offs, the Houghton Highlanders swept the Keuka Wolves on Friday afternoon by swinging some big sticks.  The Highlanders scored 24 runs over two games, defeating the Wolves, 9-6 and 15-5.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game 1 Score: Keuka – 6 | Houghton – 9
Game 2 Score: Keuka – 5 | Houghton – 15
Records: Houghton: 13-9 (5-6 Empire 8) | Keuka: 4-8 (4-8 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton, NY | Attendance: 42/48
 
Game One: With two outs in the bottom of the second inning and Houghton trailing, 2-1, a dropped third strike prolonged the inning and allowed Chris VanCheri to score from third base, tying the game.  A single by David Wessells and a walk by Joe Gross loaded the bases for Wayne Rode, who crushed a grand slam over the right-centerfield fence. 
 
The homerun was Rode's third in his last four games, and fourth in the past six.
 
The Highlanders and Wolves traded runs in the third, maintaining the Highlanders four-run lead, 7-3.
 
Houghton added a pair of insurance runs in the fourth after Wessells drew a lead-off walk, Rode drove him in with a double to right, and Zach Parr singled to center, scoring Rode.
 
Keuka continued to battle, plating a run in the fifth, and another in the sixth, but Jeremey Wilcox closed the door with a scoreless seventh to secure the Houghton win.
 
Game Two: The Highlanders exploded out of the gates, scoring nine runs in the first inning on eight hits.  Houghton's first eight batters reached base safely before a sacrifice bunt moved runners to second and third, allowing the Wolves to record their first out of the game.
 
Two batters later, Joe Gross deposited his first homerun of the year over the left field wall to give Houghton a 9-0 lead.
 
Houghton stretched the lead to double-digits in the second on a Dylan Boprey sacrifice fly.
 
The Wolves finally broke through in the fourth against Highlander starter Hunter Kendall, plating four runs on six hits, and trimming the run differential to six.
 
Houghton, however, quickly answered with five runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning. 
 
Keuka would push across one final run in the top of the seventh, but Jared Couch closed the door, preserving the 10-run rule, and ending the game after seven innings.

KEY STATS:
>> Rode extended his hitting streak to eight games, going 3-for-4 with a homerun, a double and four RBI in the first game, then 1-for-3 in the second game.  He currently leads the Highlanders with a .442 average and a 1.381 OPS.
 
>> David Wessells went 5-for-7 on the day with a double and a pair of stolen bases, while Zach Parr and Chris VanCheri finished with three hits apiece.
 
>> Houghton did not walk a single batter in the second game, the first time they have accomplished that feat this year.
 
>> Ryan Newtown moved to 5-1 on the season, picking up the win in the first game after tossing six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and three walks, while striking out four.  He is the first Houghton pitcher to start a season 5-1 since Brandon Joslin did so in 2018.

COACH'S CORNER:
"Those were a pair of very big wins for us today.  We made some mistakes in the first game, but Ryan [Newtown] just get plugging away, and we came up with some very big hits in key situations.  Wayne [Rode]'s homerun was a like a dagger. 
 
"To come out and put up nine in the first inning of the second game was absolutely huge.  They threatened in the middle of the game, and we answered right back.  We made some big defensive plays, and for our pitchers to not allow a single walk was fantastic.
 
"I'm incredibly proud of our guys.  They came to work with their hard hats on today and never let up.  We'll enjoy it for the evening, then get back to work tomorrow, preparing to go to Keuka on Monday and Tuesday."  - Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
Houghton travels to Keuka on Monday for a doubleheader beginning at 1:00 p.m.  They will then return to Keuka for a single game at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday.