HOUGHTON, NY— The Houghton Highlanders bounced back from Sunday's loss to the Keuka Wolves with a pair of victories, taking the first game, 8-4 in 11 innings, before hanging on in the nightcap, 6-4
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game 1 Score: Houghton – 8 | Keuka – 4 (11 IN)
Game 2 Score: Houghton – 6 | Keuka – 4
Records: Houghton: 10-12 (4-1 Empire 8) | Keuka: 3-16 (2-4 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton, NY | Attendance: 100/75
 
Game One:
Houghton scored four runs in the top of the 11^th inning to pull out a crucial win over the Wolves.
 
Trailing, 3-2, in the top of the sixth, Houghton tied the game on a two-out bases loaded walk to Vincent Lucyszyn, then took the lead on a single to center by Chris VanCheri.
 
Keuka answered in the bottom of the seventh when Derek Novicki laced an RBI single to right, tying the game, 4-4.
 
Houghton's Brett Rosario came on in relief of starter Ethan Cetton, tossing the final four scoreless innings, allowing only two hits and striking out five to pick up his second win of the year.
 
Finally, in the top of the 11^th, the Highlanders loaded the bases with nobody out.  After two consecutive Houghton strikeouts, it looked like the Wolves might get out of the jam.  But an infield single by Dylan Boprey gave Houghton the lead, Ty Kenney followed with an RBI hit-by-pitch, and Jeremey Wilcox laced a two-RBI single to centerfield.
 
Game Two:
Kip Bertram tossed six strong innings, scattering five hits, while walking only two batters and striking out four to earn his second win of the season.
 
Bertram would receive all of the offensive support he would need in the first three innings.  In the first, Lucyszyn and VanCheri ripped back-to-back base hits before Ian Slate crushed a two-RBI double to left.  The Highlanders would add another unearned run to go up, 3-0.
 
After Kole Schmerder homered to center in the second to cut the scored to 3-1, the Highlanders tacked on two more in the third on a Dylan Boprey base hit to right.
 
Keuka continued to battle, scoring single runs in the fourth and sixth to pull within two runs, 5-3.
 
In the top of the seventh, Houghton added an insurance run off another Boprey base hit, giving the Highlanders a 6-3 cushion.
 
But things got interesting in the bottom of the seventh.  The Wolves loaded the bases, and with two outs, a walk to RJ Murphy plated a run.  With the tying run on second and the winning run on first, Houghton closer Jeremey Wilcox slammed the door, striking out the final batter for his third save of the year.
 
KEY STATS:
>> One day removed from walking 13 Keuka batters, Houghton's Ethan Cetton, Rosario and Bertram, combined to walk only three batters and allow only 15 hits over 17 innings, striking out 16.
 
>> Boprey led the Highlanders with four total hits and five RBI and two stolen bases on the day.
 
>> VanCheri finished with three hits, two RBI, two runs scored and a stolen base.  He also threw out two would-be base-stealers, defensively.

COACH'S CORNER:
"I'm incredibly proud of how we bounced back after yesterday's loss.  We did not play well yesterday, and to pick up two close wins in the manner that we did tonight displayed a lot of grit and resiliency by our guys.
 
"We had solid pitching all day long, we stayed out of big innings, made some big defensive plays when we needed them, and came up with runs in key situations.
 
"To stay in playoff contention, we really needed both of these wins today, and our guys came up big.  They were excellent team wins." – Head Coach Brian Reitnour
 
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders are slated to travel to Horseheads this Friday at 3:00 p.m. for the opening of a three-game set with the Elmira Soaring Eagles.