CORNING, NY—Zach Parr became the seventh member of the Houghton Highlanders 100-hit club on Saturday afternoon, crushing a two-RBI triple to centerfield in the top of the fifth inning of the day's first game against the Elmira Soaring Eagles.  The Highlanders, however, would lose both closely-contested games, 5-6 and 5-7.
  
GAME VITALS                           
Game 1 Score: Houghton – 5 | Elmira – 6
Game 2 Score: Houghton – 5 | Elmira – 7
Records: Houghton: 7-15 (0-4 Empire 8) | Elmira: 8-10-1 (4-1-1 Empire 8)
Venue: Corning Community College Multi-purpose Field | Attendance:
 
Game 1:
After clawing back from a 4-0 deficit, the Houghton Highlanders had the tying run on base with two outs.  Davis Mcmillan ripped a shot to right field, but directly at the right fielder, who was playing Mcmillan deep, for the final out.
 
The Soaring Eagles opened the scoring in the bottom of the second when Joe Morrone walked to lead off the inning and Jordan Plaisted followed with a triple to center field.  Houghton starter Hunter Kendall then settled in, striking out the next three batters in a row.
 
Elmira tacked on to their lead in the fourth, plating three runs on three hits to take a 4-0 lead.
 
Houghton, however, promptly responded with three runs of their own in the top of the fifth, capped by Zach Parr's 100^th career hit, a booming triple to centerfield. 
 
The Soaring Eagles created some breathing room in the top of the fifth with another run, following a botched bunt coverage by the Highlanders, but Houghton's Ethan Cetton answered in the bottom half of the inning, crushing a pinch hit homerun to deep left field.
 
Again Elmira tacked on a run in the bottom of the sixth, and again, Houghton responded in the top of the seventh.  Trailing by two, Jason Kauffeldt led off with a single to left, then immediately swiped his 19^th base of the year.  After Dylan Boprey and Parr grounded out, Chris VanCheri brought Kauffeldt home with a base hit to right, pulling Houghton within a run.  That, however, would be as close as the Highlanders would come, as Elmira closer David Kruis induced Mcmillan's liner to end the game, earning his fourth save of the year. 
 
Game 2:
Trailing, 4-1 in the top of the sixth, Ethan Cetton drove in Dylan Boprey with an RBI single then later scored on a sacrifice fly by Chris VanCheri, trimming the Elmira lead to 4-3.
 
Houghton starter Jeremey Wilcox retired the Soaring Eagles in order in the bottom of the sixth, and the Highlanders struck again in the top of the seventh.  Jose Morales led off with a walk and Jason Kauffeldt was hit in the leg, putting runners on first and second with zero outs.
 
After a sacrifice bunt by Boprey moved the runners to second and third, Zach Parr ripped his third extra base hit of the day, a double in to the left-center gap, scoring both runners and giving Houghton the lead, 5-4. 
 
Elmira, however, refused to go quietly, as the Highlanders promptly walked the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh then gave up an 0-2 triple to left, clearing the bases and giving the Soaring Eagles a 7-5 lead.
 
The Highlanders threatened in the bottom of the ninth when Kauffeldt knocked his fifth base hit of the day to center field.  With two outs and Kauffeldt still at first, Parr ripped a two strike pitch toward the right-center gap, but the Elmira second baseman reached up and speared the liner to end the game.
 
KEY STATS:
>> Parr finished 3-for-7 on the day, all extra base hits, giving him 28 hits, 11 doubles and a triple on the year.  He currently leads the Highlanders in nearly every offensive category, including batting average (.378), slugging (.554), and on-base percentage (.471).  He also stole two bases on the day.  For his COVID-shortened, four-year career, Parr currently has 101 base hits, including 32 doubles, three triples and three home runs. 
 
>> Kauffeldt finished his day 5-for-8, with a stolen base and a hit-by-pitch.  He currently leads the Empire 8 with 19 stolen bases.
 
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders and Soaring Eagles match up again tomorrow afternoon at 1:00pm when they complete their four-game series with a doubleheader at the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex.