Box Score ALFRED, NY— On a windy day when the Alfred State Pioneers honored former head coach (and current Houghton assistant), Tom Kenney, the Highlanders pulled out a dramatic, late-inning comeback win, 8-7.
 
Zach Parr put the Highlanders on the board in the first inning with a solo homerun to left field, and the Highlanders plated another run in the third when a base hit by Ian Slate scored Jason Kauffeldt.
 
The Pioneers responded by manufacturing two runs on two hits, a sacrifice fly and a fielder's choice, tying the game, 2-2.
 
In the bottom of the fourth Alfred State struck again.  Back-to-back leadoff walks, followed by a bunt base hit, loaded the bases for leadoff hitter Tim Holler, who lifted a high fly into the jet stream to left, clearing the wall for a grand slam, giving the Pioneers a 6-2 lead.
 
Houghton responded in a big way in the top of the sixth, scoring five runs on three hits, a walk, and a pair of costly Alfred State fielding miscues, putting the Highlanders back on top, 7-6.
 
That lead, however, would be short-lived as the Pioneers' Nick Serce tied the game with a double to right-center in the bottom half of the inning.
 
Houghton threatened in the seventh, putting a runner in scoring position with one out, but failed to score.
 
Following a 1-2-3 inning from reliever Jackson Medeiros, Sebastian Rodriguez led off the eighth by crushing a missile off the left-field wall, cruising into second base with a leadoff double.
 
The Highlanders pinch ran Jeremiah Chow for Rodriguez, and Kauffeldt sacrificed him to third.  With the Alfred State infield drawn in, Chris VanCheri hit a soft liner into shallow centerfield.  Three Pioneer players converged, but the ball fell, scoring Chow with the go-ahead run.
 
Houghton's Ryan Newtown replaced Medeiros, tossing a perfect eighth. 
 
After Houghton threatened again in the ninth but failed to score after a leadoff double by Davis Mcmillan, Newtown walked Serce to lead off the bottom half of the final frame.  The Pioneers sacrificed the pinch runner to second, but Newtown induced a shallow fly ball to center and a ground ball to first to end the game.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Houghton – 8 | Alfred State - 7
Records: Houghton: 11-15 | Alfred State: 16-10
Venue: Pioneer Field, Alfred State College | Attendance: 76
 
KEY STATS:
>> Houghton rapped out 11 hits and left 10 men on base.  The Pioneers posted nine hits and left nine on base.
 
>> Houghton relievers, Will Tormey, Medeiros and Newtown would combine to throw 5.1 innings of relief, allowing only three hits, two walks and one run.
 
>> Mcmillan picked up his second consecutive multi-hit game, going a perfect 2-for-2 with a double and two walks. Rodriguez and Slate also posted two hits apiece, while Kauffeldt swiped his 16^th base in 16 attempts this season.
 
UP NEXT:
Houghton returns to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Friday afternoon, when they will take on the Keuka Wolves in the first of a three-game Empire 8 Conference series.  First pitch is slated for 4:00 p.m.