HOUGHTON, NY— The Alfred State Pioneers received a quality start from Ryan Kinney, and rapped out 13 hits to defeat the Houghton Highlanders on Thursday, 12-6.
 
The Pioneers jumped out to a 6-1 lead through the first four-and-a-half innings before the Highlanders bats came to life in the bottom of the fifth.  Three hits and an A-State throwing error plated two runs, cutting the Pioneers' lead to 6-3.
 
Houghton struck again in the bottom of the sixth, when Vincent Lucyszyn knocked in Kanta Ueno to trim the deficit to only two runs.
 
Alfred State responded with an unearned run in the seventh, and two more in the eighth, following a Houghton defensive gaffe, lengthening their lead to 9-4.
 
The Highlanders responded again in the bottom of the eighth, when Lucyszyn doubled to centerfield, scoring Jeremiah Chow and Ueno, but that would be as close as Houghton would come, as the Pioneers pounded out three more hits and three more runs in the top of the ninth, and Caden Fortunato closed the door for the win.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Score: Alfred State – 12 | Houghton - 6
Records: Alfred State: 5-13 | Houghton: 6-11
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton University | Attendance: 50
 
KEY STATS:
>> Alfred State's pitchers did not allow a single walk, while striking out 15 Houghton batters.  Houghton allowed six walks, hit three batters, and struck out seven Alfred State batters.
 
>> Lucyszyn reached base in all four of his at bats, hitting two singles and a double, and reaching on a throwing error following a diving play by the third baseman.
 
>> Mason Sutherland and Ueno added two hits apiece for the Highlanders.
 
COACH'S CORNER:
"Our team showed tremendous effort, and a fair amount of grit—coming back multiple times—but our execution was not what it has been recently, nor what it needs to be to beat quality opponents.  Too many walks, too many hit batters, too many defensive miscues.  Later in the game we began to make better adjustments at the plate, but it took us too long, and we just did make those adjustments consistently through the order.
 
"Give credit to Alfred State's pitchers, they threw very well and deserved to win. 
 
"You'll have days like this in baseball.  We'll come back hungry tomorrow, take a couple days off, and get after it again on Monday.  For now, though, it's enough to focus on the gravity and joy of this weekend, which puts what we have the opportunity to do on the field in perspective." –Head Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
Following Easter weekend, the Highlanders will travel to Du Bois, Pennsylvania for a doubleheader with the Penn State-Du Bois Nittany Lions at 2:00pm on Monday, April 1.