KEUKA PARK, NY— With two outs in the top of the sixth inning, Dylan Boprey laced a bases-loaded single to right, scoring Wayne Rode and Zach Parr, who slid safely past the catcher just ahead of the throw, giving the Houghton Highlanders a 7-5 lead over the Keuka Wolves.  Houghton would tack on two more runs in the inning, enough to keep the Wolves at bay, picking up their fourth win in the five-game Empire 8 conference set.
 
Houghton looked like they would open the flood gates early, scoring two runs in the first and leaving a pair in scoring position.  But the Wolves answered with three runs in the bottom of the first, then added two more in the bottom of the third to take a 5-2 lead.
 
The Highlanders slowly chipped away, scoring a run in the fourth, then tied the game in the fifth when Jason Kauffeldt doubled to right, Davis McMillan singled him home, and Chris VanCheri ripped a double to right to score McMillan. 
 
Ethan Cetton settled in for the Highlanders, allowing only one base runner in each of the fourth and fifth innings before giving way to Whitney Cook, who tossed a scoreless sixth. 
 
Keuka pulled within three in the bottom of the seventh, but the Highlanders quickly answered.  Joe Gross led off the top of the eighth with a single through the left side and Wayne Rode followed with a base hit in the same spot.  Zach Parr followed with a dagger to the heart, crushing a 2-2 pitch over the left field fence for his third homerun of the season, giving the Highlanders a 12-6 lead.
 
That would be all the help Houghton bullpen would need as Hunter Kendall allowed only one run in relief of Cook, and Ryan Newtown pitched a perfect ninth.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Houghton - 12 | Keuka - 7
Records: Houghton: 15-10 (7-7 Empire 8) | Keuka: 5-10 (5-10 Empire 8)
Venue: Kuhl Field, Keuka Park, NY | Attendance:
 
KEY STATS:
>> Houghton outhit the Wolves, 15-10.  In the five games between the two teams, the Highlanders scored 54 runs on 63 hits.
 
>> Seven Highlanders collected at least two hits, including Wayne Rode, who went 3-for-5 on the day.  Rode has now had nine multi-hit games in 18 games played this season, including five games in which he has posted three hits.  He currently leads the team with a .446 average.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"This was a big win for us today.  Again, we started out a little rough, but collected ourselves and put together a good game.
 
"Ethan [Cetton] continues to grow.  He figured out a few things mid-game and was able to put a couple of zeros on the board when we needed them most.  Our bullpen was solid and kept their bats quiet at the right times.
 
"I am continually amazed at what this team continues to accomplish.  We have been down so many times this year, but our guys are never out of it.  They're like a swarm of gnats—you can brush them away from your face as many times as you want, but they'll just keep coming back.
 
"We had big hits throughout our lineup.  Dylan [Boprey], Chris [VanCheri], and [Zach] Parr—just to name a few—had very, very big hits.  This was an entire team effort. I'm very proud of our guys.  They continue to build the type of season, and team that reflects the ideals we hold highest.  We tell our guys all the time that our goal is to win baseball games, but our purpose is to build men who are built for God and for others.  They are proving that you can do both." – Coach Brian Reitnour
 
 UP NEXT: Houghton returns to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex this Friday for the opening doubleheader of a four-game set with the Elmira Soaring Eagles.  The two teams will match up at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, then travel to Dunn Field on Saturday for a doubleheader at 1:00 p.m.  Houghton barely escaped the last meeting, defeating Elmira in 10 innings, 9-8.