HOUGHTON, NY— The Russell Sage Gators completed a three-game sweep of the Houghton Highlanders, thanks to a one-hitter from Joe DeGroot in game one, 7-0, and a late-innings collapse by the Highlanders in game two, 12-9.
 
GAME VITALS                           
Game 1 Score: Russell Sage – 7 | Houghton – 0
Game 2 Score: Russell Sage – 12 | Houghton – 9
Records: Russell Sage: 9-7 (3-0 Empire 8) | Houghton: 10-8 (2-4 Empire 8)
Venue: Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex, Houghton University | Attendance: 80
 
Game One:
Joe DeGroot allowed a leadoff single to Qingyang Feng then did not allow another hit the rest of the game. 
 
After Houghton put runners on first and second in the first inning, they did not put another runner in scoring position again.
 
DeGroot tossed six innings, allowing only Feng's leadoff single and two walks, striking out three to pick up his second win of the season.
 
The Gators, meanwhile picked up an unearned run in the first, which would be all the offense they would need. 
 
Ethan Cetton also went six innings, allowing six hits, three walks and one earned run, while striking out six in the loss.
 
Sage would score single runs in the third and fourth, before tacking on four in the seventh.
 
Game Two:
The Gators overcame a 9-2 Houghton advantage, scoring three in the seventh and seven in the eighth to complete the sweep of the Highlanders.
 
After picking up a run in the first, Houghton unloaded for five runs in the second, then added another in the third and two more in the fourth.
 
But from that point on, the Highlanders bats went silent.
 
Aiden Talcott looked nearly unhittable through the first six innings, allowing only a solo homerun to Colin Casey in the third, and an unearned run in the fourth.  But in the seventh, the Gators finally broke through on Talcott, closing the gap to 9-5 and chasing Talcott from the game.
 
In the eighth, Sage took advantage of six hits, a walk, and two costly Houghton errors, scoring seven runs to go up, 12-9. 
 
KEY STATS:
>> Houghton committed 10 errors on the day, and 15 in the series, while Sage committed only two and three, respectively.
 
>> Feng finished with a team-best three hits on the day, while Christian Tortorici and Kanta Ueno both picked up two apiece.
 
>> Ian Slate roped his sixth double of the season, tying him with Ethan Duryea ('18) for sixth-place on the all-time leader board.  He is now two doubles away from fifth place-holder, Taylor Huntsman ('18).
 
UP NEXT:
The Highlanders return to the Kerr-Pegula Athletic Complex on Tuesday, April 1 at 4:00, when they will host the SUNY Brockport Golden Eagles.