HOUGHTON, NY— On the second day of their three-game series, the Houghton Highlanders and St. John Fisher Cardinals split.
 
The Highlanders rode the strong right arm of Ethan Cetton, and Vincent Lucyszyn's clutch play in every facet of the game, to a 3-2 victory in the first, while the bat of Brian Norsen – who went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and home run—propelled the Cardinals to a 10-4 victory in game two.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game One Score: St. John Fisher - 2 | Houghton – 3
Game One Score: St. John Fisher - 10 | Houghton – 4
Records: St. John Fisher: 16-15 (12-2 Empire 8) | Houghton: 12-16 (6-5 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton, NY | Attendance: 83/78
 
GAME ONE:
Ethan Cetton continued to dominate the Empire 8, tossing a complete game for his fourth win of the year, as the Highlanders defeated the Cardinals, 3-2.
 
Cetton struck out five while walking only two batters and giving up five hits.
 
St. John Fisher scored an unearned run in the first, and held that lead until the fifth, when Vincent Lucysyzyn ripped a one-out triple to right-center, scoring Ty Kenney and Jeremey Wilcox.  Chris VanCheri followed with a pop-up to shallow centerfield, but Lucyszyn alertly tagged up from third and scored what would be the game-winning run.
 
The Cardinals pulled within a run in the top of the sixth on a one-out bases-loaded walk, but Cetton induced an inning-ending double-play to escape the jam.  He then worked a seamless 1-2-3 seventh to wrap up the win.
 
GAME TWO:
Trailing 4-0 in the sixth, the Highlanders finally chased Cardinals' starter, Patrick Maguire, who, up to that point, had been cruising. 
 
Following a one-out error, the Highlanders strung together three straight base hits to plate a pair of runs.  After a walk to Kenney loaded the bases, Cetton lofted a pinch-hit sacrifice fly to left, pulling Houghton within a run.
 
The Houghton threat would be quickly mitigated, as the Cardinals scored three in the top of the seventh.
 
In the bottom of the inning, it looked as though Houghton might threaten again, as Kanta Ueno ripped a double to deep left-center, scoring Ian Slate to make it a 7-4 game. 
 
But the Cardinals scored three more in the top of the eighth, punctuated by a two run blast off the bat of Brian Norsen, wrapping up the scoring at 10-4.
 
KEY STATS:
>> Cetton lowered his conference-leading ERA to 2.52 and boosted his conference-best strikeout total to 55.  Since returning from Florida, he has tossed six complete games, posting a 1.57 ERA in 46 innings.  During that stretch he has giving up 36 hits and struck out 52 batters.
 
>> Ueno and Dylan Boprey both collected three hits on the day, one apiece in game one, and two each in game two.  Christian Tortorici went 2-for-4 in game two with a double and an RBI, while Lucyszyn went 2-for-3 in game one.
 
>> The Highlanders victory in game one is the first time they have defeated the Cardinals since May 4, 2019.
 
 UP NEXT:
The Highlanders return to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex next Friday, April 26, for a series opening game against the Alfred University Saxons at 5:00 p.m.